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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28622250">It's Never How You Expect It</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ireallyshouldnt_behere/pseuds/ireallyshouldnt_behere'>ireallyshouldnt_behere</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: Legend of Korra</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dorks, F/F, Fluff and Humor, Light Angst, Smut, more smut</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 10:21:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>45,310</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28622250</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ireallyshouldnt_behere/pseuds/ireallyshouldnt_behere</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Naga,” she began and white ears perked up lazily at her, “I don’t know what I’m getting into right now, but wish me luck, girl.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Korra/Asami Sato</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>454</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>852</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Korra couldn’t even remember when she had a night off like this, where she could actually do something or just sit and relax. Most days she had a morning off - maybe - and she generally used that time to sleep, which she also never had the chance to do. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So what was she doing on her one night off, instead of sleeping or actually going to see some friends? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yeah, she was swiping through Tinder. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra sighed and wondered why on earth she was even bothering, but with how busy she had been lately, it was pretty much impossible to meet anyone. Though, as she swiped left again and again and again, Korra thought about giving up on the whole app because if she didn’t have time to meet anyone the usual way, how would she have time for a relationship? Friends were enough, right?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She sighed again. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh well.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Mako was busy anyway, Bolin was probably stuck at work thinking of ways to talk to the new girl, and Korra just really wasn’t in the mood to call up anyone else to hang out. She would give it another few swipes, then maybe go on a run with Naga, and get some sweet sweet sleep. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Left. Left. Left.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hold on, now that was interesting. “Holy shit,” she muttered and her thumb came to an abrupt stop. “She can’t be real.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra stared in awe at the most beautiful woman she had ever seen, and had to blink a few times to collect herself. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Asami, 28. Engineer. I have no idea what I’m doing here, yet here we are.’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra had to laugh at that, but seriously, this girl was fucking gorgeous, why the hell was she on Tinder? There wasn’t much on her profile besides that line and a few more pictures, one of which was of Asami on a motorcycle. Korra hadn’t even known that motorcycles were something she could be into, but apparently she was now, and she had to shake her head. This girl seemed unreal, too good to be true, but what would it hurt to swipe right, right?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No way...” Korra whispered when the screen popped up at her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘It’s a match!’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She hadn’t expected that at all, and now she was going through a mild gay panic at what to do. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Okay, it was a big gay panic. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What would she say? Does she say anything at all, or does she wait for Asami to say something first? What are the fucking rules of this thing? Korra was so widely out of her element, she had never used this stupid app before; Bolin had downloaded it a few weeks ago during a lull at work, but she had never used it. What if this was just a mistake, and Asami had accidentally swiped right on her profile?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Okay, just relax, there’s no harm in hoping. Korra typed out a few messages, deleting each one with a huff. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Hello’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No, too formal. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Hi there.’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Are you twelve?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Hey, how’s it going?’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yawn. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Hi, I’m Korra, and I kind of have no idea what I’m doing here either but you’re really pretty and I-‘</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No, that was too much. Korra went to hit the backspace but her dumbass thumb was too quick and it hit send instead. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shit,” she muttered and dropped her phone into her lap. “There goes that one, idiot.” She laid back on the couch, thinking about how she always got herself into stupid situations like this, and nearly jumped when her phone chimed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a message from Asami. </span>
  <em>
    <span>It was a message from Asami</span>
  </em>
  <span>! Her stomach dropped but also at the same time, she got a reply, so there must be something, right? Korra took a deep breath before opening it, here goes nothing... </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami:</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Did you need a minute to finish that sentence or...?’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She burst out laughing, which scared Naga who was at her feet, and she mumbled a sorry quickly before thinking of what to write. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra:</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Honestly, that was kind of a mistake and I didn’t mean to send that.’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Not that I don’t think you’re pretty, I was just trying to find what to say and that sent instead of deleting.’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘You are’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Pretty, that is’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Fuck I’m so bad at this. Can I restart?’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She groaned and shook her head, nearly dropping her phone again when little bubbles started to bounce, indicating that Asami was typing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami:</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I don’t know, this is pretty entertaining. Do you ramble often?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra:</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I’ve been told it’s one of my most charming traits, actually.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Which wasn’t exactly true, most people have to shut her up eventually, but whatever. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami:</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh I’m sure. Well listen, Korra, I’m going to be very blunt with you right now, I hope that’s okay.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra sat up a little straighter as the message bubbles bounced, wondering what she was going to be so blunt about. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami:</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I’ve been very stressed at work and I need to destress, and you’re gorgeous. I understand if this isn’t your thing or not your intention on here, but this is my invitation.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Oh. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ohhhh.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Well, fuck, she hadn’t been expecting that at all. Korra thought quickly, Asami was beautiful of course, and if she was being honest it had been much longer than she cared to admit since having sex...but a tinder one night stand? She had never even had a one night stand before, and now this? On a dating app? Bred out of boredom? She was a walking cliche. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She scrolled up and looked at Asami’s pictures again, and she just looked </span>
  <em>
    <span>real.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Not like some girls on there who sort of almost try too hard to look a certain way, but it seemed as if Asami just had this natural, easy way about her. Something in her eyes - and holy shit those eyes - just seemed like there was so much to know. Fuck it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra:</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Not what I was expecting, but sure I’m in.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami:</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>That’s what I was hoping to hear. 202 Park Lane, I’ll buzz you in at the gate. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Also, are you hungry?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra:</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>At the moment, not for food.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>She could be suave when she wanted, and Korra clicked her screen off before taking a deep breath. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Naga,” she began and white ears perked up lazily at her, “I don’t know what I’m getting into right now, but wish me luck, girl.”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Park Lane wasn’t too far from her apartment so Korra fed Naga quickly, hopped in the shower to wash off the day, and tried not to spend too much time worrying about clothes. They were just going to come off, right? Her nerves started to bubble up but she shook them off quickly and grabbed her keys and wallet, giving her pup a quick kiss on the head before leaving. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As she drove away from the main city to the outskirts of town, into the suburbs with big houses and even bigger gates, Korra vaguely thought about how this was definitely the beginning to a few horror movies, but whatever. She pulled up to the huge black gate that read ‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>202</span>
  </em>
  <span>’ pushed the buzzer button, wondering for the first time if this was some sort of set up. What if she was about to meet some expensive escort that she didn’t exactly have the money for right now? Not that she would ever pay for such a service, it had been a while, that was for sure, but she wasn’t in such a need for that. It was annoying though, Korra wasn’t exactly in the mood to be hustled, but it went away quickly at the thought of Asami’s pictures. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She had just looked too nice, too real to be any of those, even if how good looking she was seemed out of this world. Her mind flooded through all kinds of thoughts as the gates opened without a sound and she drove in, parking right up front. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But then if she lived in such an expensive place like this why was she still, seemingly, single? Gorgeous and rich, what was the catch? Was she married and now Korra was about to be a homewrecker? Did she still, at 28, live with her parents? The house did look a bit big for one person...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hair still slightly wet and choppy from her shower, Korra stopped at the front door with her fist raised and took a deep breath. Was she really about to do this? The dark red door stared back at her and she blinked a few times before shrugging. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck it.</span>
  </em>
  <span> She knocked a few times and waited with a tight chest, letting out a slow puff of air once the door opened. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hi there,” the most gorgeous woman she had ever seen greeted. Asami was somehow unbelievably better in person, green eyes bright and playful, her hair almost unnaturally perfect. Korra’s mouth went dry and somehow only one thought popped into her head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re tall.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami snorted lightly and leaned against the doorframe, which washed away Korra’s nerves immediately. “Thank you for the astute observation,” she said with a smirk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s just uhh, you know,” Korra began awkwardly and rubbed the back of her neck, “I guess I wasn’t expecting that, or this at all, and you’re just really pretty and I’m pretty sure your voice is the most wonderful thing I’ve ever heard and I was nervous but you seem pretty cool so I decided to go for it and now I’m rambling and I can’t stop-“ Asami was biting the side of her cheek to keep from giggling and Korra let out a breath. “Hi, can I start again? I’m Korra.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hi Korra,” she said and crossed her arms, “I have to admit, the rambling is even more charming in person. Want to come in and have a drink?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami had perfect teeth, of course, which Korra found out when she was given an award-winning smile at her answer, and she followed the taller woman through the entryway and into a large bar room. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Rich people.</span>
  </em>
  <span> In reality, Asami was probably only a few inches taller than her and Korra didn’t know why that was the first thing to come to her mind in that moment, but at the present time she was being poured a glass of some expensive looking liquid so she figured she was doing something right. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Green eyes regarded her for a moment as Asami handed over the glass of liquor, their fingers brushing in a way that shouldn’t have made Korra’s stomach flip the way it did. “Come on, I want to show you something,” Asami said and once again she was left to follow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Which, of course, wasn’t a bad sight at all. Korra could tell designer when she saw it and while she might not know brands, the fit of Asami’s pants was so exquisite that something about it made her want to write a thank you letter to the maker. It wasn’t nice to stare, she had learned that the hard way in her youth, but the sway of Asami’s ass really had her so lost in the sweet little jiggle. She hardly realized the view that she was being shown until she nearly ran straight into the woman. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Should I even ask what’s going on in your head right now?” Asami asked but Korra was a little distracted by the coolest living room she had ever seen. Black was clearly the woman’s aesthetic, but there was a giant ring of couches set up in a depression in the middle of the room and the ceiling was almost pure glass. Since they were further away from the city lights she could see smatterings of stars, which she knew would only be amplified if the lights were off. Korra said a silent wow before remembering that she had an even better view next to her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Probably not,” she muttered and took a sip of her drink to moisturize her dry throat, not expecting how smooth the liquor would be. “Shit, this is good,” she praised, “and this view is...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami hummed in response and they both sipped their drinks and enjoyed the view, something about it settling easily in Korra at how simple it was, standing here with someone she didn’t know anything about, but she felt so comfortable. The sky twinkled above them, clouds rolling by on the edge of the glass with a promise of storms to come, and the drink down her throat warmed up her body to just the right level - not too much, not too little - and Korra sighed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This place is really nice,” she said and almost cringed at its diplomacy, she had never been very good at small talk but from what she had seen so far, this place was amazing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami chuckled and turned to her. “Thank you, it’s taken some time to redo but I’m pretty happy with the results.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can see why,” Korra agreed and turned to face her as well, “my apartment is basic, it’s just me and my dog Naga.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That huge white thing from your pictures?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mhmm,” Korra said with a nod, “she sheds like crazy but I love her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can tell. Come sit,” Asami said softly and stepped down into the sitting area, finding purchase on a large chaise lounge. Korra picked the spot next to her, not too close, but not far enough away to be awkward, and fuck if it wasn’t the most comfortable couch her ass had ever been graced with. “Look,” Asami continued once they had sat and placed her empty glass on the coffee table, “I know that I asked you over here for a hookup, and it’s still definitely my intention, but I want to be clear that if you’re uncomfortable then I won’t force you into anything. We don’t know each other, but I promise I’m safe.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sincerity of the statement had her melting a little and Korra set her glass down too before turning. “Thank you, Asami, really,” she said, “I guess I just don’t know how to do this, I’ve never had a random hookup before.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Besides college, I never have either,” Asami said with almost a shy smile, “but work has just been crazy lately and it’s pretty hard to find someone consistent with what I do...” she shrugged and waved her hand in the air, making Korra laugh. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I get it, trust me,” she replied. “This is my first night off in...I couldn’t even tell you how long.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And you spent it swiping through tinder?” Asami mused with that little smirk. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pot calling the kettle black?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Touché,” Asami said and leaned closer, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra’s stomach dropped and her pulse quickened as the woman drew closer, and she could smell her clean perfume; it was so welcoming. Everything about her was welcoming. “So how do we do this?” She asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“For lack of a better phrase,” Asami said and looked down at her lips, “I think we just do it.” They both smiled and Asami bit the side of her cheek again before looking up into Korra’s eyes. So green. “Can I kiss you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra thought that when it came time for this she would be nervous, but Asami’s lips just looked so soft and warm, just like everything else about her, and she nodded eagerly. She leaned in to meet pink lips that if her pictures said anything about the woman, they were usually always coated with lipstick. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But she couldn’t be bothered to think about that right now, not with a hand coming up to cup her cheek, lips pulling her in closer, and Korra bit back a gasp at how good it felt. Asami really knew what she was doing, she wasn’t tentative or afraid, and fuck if that wasn’t the hottest thing she had ever felt. A tongue swiped out across her lips and she was done for, Korra leaned in with everything she had, hands finding purchase around Asami’s waist, and spirits she felt like she could just spend hours moving against those soft lips. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck,” Asami muttered into her mouth and pushed Korra back against the couch to straddle her lap and yes that was good, very very good. Hands were balled in her hair at the base of her skull while Asami sucked and kissed down her neck and Korra pulled at her hips, trying to find some friction for her growing need. She groaned when a huffing laugh was blown behind her ear but then Asami rolled her hips down against her and she groaned again at that feeling. Damn this girl was good. “Are you going to take my shirt off or...?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra zapped back into reality from rolling hips and in one easy maneuver she had Asami’s shirt off, flinging it in some general direction she didn’t care to look for, not when boobs were in her face. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Braless, huh? What a coincidence.</span>
  </em>
  <span> She pulled her in closer by the base of her back and sucked a pert, pink nipple straight into her mouth, Asami humming happily as she rolled her tongue over it again and again. Korra moved to the other nipple to give it the same treatment but soon enough she was being pushed back against the couch once more. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Arms?” Asami asked with her hands on the hem of Korra’s shirt and she raised them quickly, the article of clothing being lost somewhere with the other shirt. “Braless? Nice.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra threw her head back and laughed before pulling Asami down for a heated kiss. “That’s exactly what I thought earlier.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Figured the clothes were going to come off anyway?” Asami asked between kisses and the taste of her smile was out of this world. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Exactly,” Korra replied and hungry lips devoured her own, speaking was over with for the time being as Asami climbed off her lap and pushed Korra to lay down. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Her heart felt like it was pounding out of her chest as Asami’s hands ran down her arms, across her stomach with blunt nails raking down the divets in her ribs, until they came to stop at the waistline of her pants. Korra didn’t even need to be asked and her hips were lifting up to let her pull them off. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shit. Green eyes looked so hungry as they inched their way up her body and she had never welcomed the feeling of being prey so heartily; she would do whatever Asami wanted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You are so beautiful, Korra,” Asami said, voice laced with lust, and she crawled over her body to kiss her again. Korra wanted her pants gone too, but Asami didn’t linger too long on their kiss and was making her way down quickly, with a purpose. Okay, she could do that. “I have to taste you.” Okay, she could definitely do that too, and Korra just nodded dumbly as she watched Asami put up her hair quickly before settling between her legs. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And oh Raava, that tongue. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh shit,” she muttered before letting her head drop to the couch as Asami hummed into her, which just made the feeling even more intense. She swept her tongue up and down, lazily side to side, enveloped Korra’s clit in wet, rolling heat a few times; it was incredible. The lack of consistency of it was starting to drive her wild after a bit, and even though it all felt amazing, Korra was getting incredibly pent up with all of the different strokes and she needed </span>
  <em>
    <span>something.</span>
  </em>
  <span> “Asami,” she groaned as the woman sank her tongue back inside again and she could feel her laugh before placing both hands firmly onto her hips and really setting a pace. “Fuck, right there,” she hissed and Asami listened in kind. All the teasing and playing had her tensing up quicker than she had expected and she felt her orgasm snap so beautifully, she hadn’t even realized that her hand had found purchase at the back of Asami’s head until she came back down from the high. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wow,” Asami said once her head was free from Korra’s vice grip. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think I should be saying wow,” Korra said with a breathless laugh and sat up on her elbow, “that was fucking incredible. You’re kind of an ass, but holy shit.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ll get over it,” she replied with that damn smirk and Korra was kind of done for. Fuck, Asami was hot. “You taste fucking amazing.” That made her jerk involuntarily and Korra’s eyes fluttered closed for a second because </span>
  <em>
    <span>holy shit.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Just Asami’s voice could almost get her off and it was slightly embarrassing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uhh, thank you?” She didn’t know what to say to that but Asami just smiled and sat up, running two fingers through the obvious wetness before leaning forward and kissing Korra soundly. The taste of herself on those lips in her lust-muddled brain had Korra keening, but that was nothing compared to when Asami brought her hand up stuck those two fingers into her mouth. She sucked with all her might as green eyes turned nearly black, Asami’s hips grinding down into her own before the fingers were gone to be replaced by hungry lips. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fucking hell, Korra,” she said and damn, the neediness in that sultry voice was almost too much. “Can I-?” She asked as the fingers ran through her wetness again and she nodded with choppy breaths. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Please,” she begged and didn’t have to wait a second before two fingers were pushing easily inside her. Korra choked back a happy sob and Asami pushed a leg up high for a better angle before claiming her lips again, needing to taste every gasp and moan as fingers curled and pumped inside. It was so, so good, and Korra had to break away from their kiss just to be able to breathe, Asami dipping into her neck and panting as she worked. Every synapse in her body was thrumming with the white hot pleasure radiating from where fingers worked perfectly inside and Korra grasped at Asami’s back with everything she had as her world went white. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was so sensitive as she came back from her earth shattering orgasm, and Korra wouldn’t have wanted to move to a muscle even if she could. The weight of Asami above her, the soft, open kisses along her neck and shoulder, their chests rising and falling together...it was magic. She had needed this so damn bad, and Asami was absolutely marvelous at performing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wow,” she said first this time and kisses started to climb up her neck until Asami was at her mouth, lingering for a surprising amount of time, not that Korra was opposed. She grabbed a hold of her hips and hated that there was still fabric there. “When are these coming off?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“When you get to them,” Asami said with a wink and stood up, sauntering off and leaving her there to gape at the sinister sway of her ass and a light sheen of sweat glistening the perfect line of her spine. Fuck. Korra fumbled slightly to get up and followed, running to catch up when Asami turned and started walking backwards with a devilish smile. She ran and swooped her up quickly, laughing at the happy yelp, and pinned her against the wall. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I knew those muscles weren’t for nothing,” Asami said and tilted Korra’s head back to bring their lips together again. At this point, there was no denying that she was addicted to the feeling and a pang of sorrow punched her stomach at thinking this was a one-time thing, but then fingers were scratching at the base of her skull and Korra couldn’t think of much else. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Bedroom?” She mumbled between nibbles on her bottom lip and she shivered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Next door on the right.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She hurried in quickly and legs were unwrapping from her waist before the door was even shut,  Asami standing in front of her with an intense look and just pointed to her pants. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yes ma’am,</span>
  </em>
  <span> she thought before closing in and unzipping them while she rained pecks down Asami’s neck and shoulder, thinking quickly before turning her and pushing her up against the wall. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wha-“ was all Asami could get out before Korra dropped to her knees, pulling her pants down completely and waiting for Asami to step out before looking up in question. The woman paused, but then nodded and Korra didn’t hesitate before throwing a long leg over her shoulder and diving in. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was so...damn...wet. She moaned into Asami’s wet center and worked to get some traction before swirling around her clit and getting to work. Hands brushed through her hair and Korra looked up to see Asami’s face dropped in a slight ‘o’ as she sucked and rolled her tongue, hips grinding in tandem with her motions and the hands in her hair grasped tight as the woman tensed and choked out a quick, silent sob. So beautiful. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Korra,” she said breathlessly and damn, her raspy name had never sounded so good, “get on the bed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The way Asami was looking down at her, chest heaving, held no room for argument and who would she be to argue with a goddess? That’s what Asami was, a true, invariable goddess. Her smile, smell, taste, laugh...everything. She got up from the floor quickly and made her way to the large bed and sat on the edge, waiting for more instruction, but Asami had gone to her closet and seemed to be rummaging for something. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So I completely understand if you say no,” she began and walked out holding a strap on, “but I’d really like to-“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Asami, I don’t want to be dramatic,” Korra said with every ounce of truth in her quivering voice, “but if you don’t get that thing on and inside me I’m going to explode.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A bright laugh rang out through the room and Asami started to put on the toy. “If that’s you not being dramatic, I’d really like to see how you are on the opposite spectrum.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra held her hand out for Asami to come closer, she needed her. “Well you have about fifteen second before you find out.” Asami hummed and walked closer, but not close enough for Korra to grab. Damn it. “Asami,” she damn near pleaded. She looked so good, so fucking good and Korra ached to have her inside, something told her that Asami would be so good with the strap and she squirmed at the thought. “Come on.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Such an eager little thing,” and oh that damn voice, but finally Asami walked closer and waved her hand for Korra to scoot back further onto the bed, which she did eagerly. Watching pure perfection walk on her knees towards her was now a staple in Korra’s mind, something she knows she would think of far too often, and when a hand pushed her down onto the bed she couldn’t suppress her eager shiver. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re so beautiful, Asami,” she said and stopped on her elbow once more, fingers ghosting up the arm that had been pushing her down by her chest until she reached a pale, slightly pink cheek. “So beautiful.” Asami’s eyebrows furrowed slightly and she stopped moving, and Korra worried that she said something wrong. “What? Did I...did I say something wrong?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami shook her head and sat back slightly. “No, you’re fine, it’s just - you seem so sincere and I was kind of taken aback. I don’t think anyone has ever said it like that before.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What, that you’re beautiful?” Korra scoffed. “Have they looked at you, I mean come on...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, dork,” Asami said with a smile, “most people, I don’t know, they try to impress me somehow and act better than they are but you’re just...you. It’s refreshing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Just you? “Well, I only have one person to be and that’s me,” Korra said easily, “but I’ve got some good pickup lines if you want me to try? I bet I could totally impress you with what I’ve got.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh boy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra leaned back on both elbows and threw Asami her douchiest smile. “Hey baby, I may not be from the Water Tribes, but I know how to make you wet.” She finished with a wink before furrowing her brows, “wait, hold on.” But Asami was already busting up laughing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Korra that doesn’t even make sense!” she practically cried, “you </span>
  <em>
    <span>are</span>
  </em>
  <span> Water Tribe.” And it was such a beautiful sound, hearing her guffaw and choke on breaths as they laughed together. So beautiful, Korra needed more of it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey! I could have been born in Republic City!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Were you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She paused, “-no.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then my point stands.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay I’ve got another one,” she said and got that look down again. “Hey baby, I may not be from the Earth Kingdom, but I know how to make you rock hard.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stop,” Asami said while still laughing, trying to cover Korra’s mouth, “no more, I can only get so wet.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you sure?” She said and pulled Asami’s hands away, “I still have two more nations to go-“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I definitely think I’m okay,” and then Asami was leaning down and she had to rise up to meet her. The terrible pickup lines would have to wait because legs were moving, lips were hot, and then there was something pressing against her entrance and Korra really, really needed it. She slid one hand down to cup Asami’s ass while the other ran the tip of the dildo through her wetness and got it lined up. Her neck prickled with anticipation at the thought of it inside. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ready?” Asami asked sweetly and all Korra could do was nod, she was so, so ready. She started to push in slowly and it was definitely a pressure, but not uncomfortable, and Korra closed her eyes and relaxed as Asami pushed all the way in. “You okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She shifted her hips a little and ohh, “more than okay.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami smiled and kissed her soundly before pulling out slowly and pushing back in, the feeling sending radiating spikes of pleasure throughout her body, and her other hand went to the left asscheek to help set a pace. She needed it faster, and Asami seemed happy to oblige. Korra wanted to keep her eyes open, wanted to watch Asami look between their bodies with each delicious slap of skin, but the harder each thrust became the more lost in the feeling she got and her eyes fluttered close, a mouth finding its way onto her neck and she whimpered. So. Fucking. Good. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then Asami sat up, grabbed her legs, and damn near folded her in half but oh fuck the angle, it had her ears ringing with each thrust. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh - Raava, As-A-“ she couldn’t even get a word out, everything coming out in whimpering chops as Asami used her legs for leverage and pounded harder, repositioning herself where Korra’s legs were over her shoulders and she came down between them and kissed the breath out of her. The skin, the heat, the toy hitting that perfect spot inside each thrust had Korra on the edge of ecstasy and she wanted to live in this moment forever, Asami’s lips hovering over her own, sharing the same heady air</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra held onto the headboard and used it as leverage to roll her hips against each thrust and the feeling had her eyes rolling in the back of her head. Hands were on her shoulders for leverage as Asami picked a new, perfect angle and somehow with one look between them, they both knew what each other was asking. Korra nodded once and pale fingers slid and grasped so gently at each side of her neck to squeeze, just a little. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And that did it, Korra had held on to the hurricane of pleasure for so long, basking in everything that was the woman above her, but with that little bit of pressure she let go and her vision went spotty before the dense pull between her legs snapped into oblivion. Perfect, absolutely perfect, and Korra wondered if it would ever be possible to have such an incredible and powerful orgasm again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well, once she came back to consciousness, of course. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami was in her neck, kissing where her fingers had been as if she had hurt her, and Korra started to laugh. It started as giggles, and she didn’t even know why, but then she was full-bodied laughing and couldn’t seem to stop, especially when Asami raised up on her elbows to look down at her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s so funny?” She asked with a curious look. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know,” Korra snorted, “it’s just...I think that was the best orgasm I’ve ever had in my life.” Her laughing died down finally and she smiled up at the woman, “I know I’ve said this a lot tonight, mostly in my head, but holy shit.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami brushed away some of Korra’s sweaty hair and kissed her. “I’ve been thinking the same thing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know what else I’m thinking?” Korra asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Food?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Food,” she nodded. “Kitchen?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kitchen,” Asami agreed and crawled off the bed, apparently having pulled out of Korra sometime during her happy haze, and she scooted off to follow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Asami?” She said and looked down at the strap on, “leave that thing on.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh I planned to.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>______</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was almost completely black when she woke up, minimal light seeping through dark drapes, but Korra could feel a body pressed against hers, an arm wrapped over her stomach lazily. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Shit, I spent the night</span>
  </em>
  <span>, she thought. That’s not a thing to do with one night stands, right? Now I’ll have to do the walk of shame...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She felt Asami sigh out a sleepy breath and cuddle in closer, shoving her face into Korra’s collar bone and pulling her arm in tighter, and she froze. What was Asami going to think when she woke up? Would she be mad that she stayed over? How awkward was it going to be when they woke up-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s wrong?” And holy shit, Asami’s sleepy voice was pure magic, all raspy and a bit deeper, it was not helping that her breath tickled Korra’s neck. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She opened her mouth a few times trying to find what to say. “I just uhh - I didn’t want you to be upset that I was still here, I kinda don’t remember falling asleep.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami laughed softly. “Go back to sleep, Korra.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was still a bit hesitant, perhaps Asami was just talking in her sleep, but then Korra just decided to go with it. She moved slightly to get more comfortable and really shouldn’t have liked the hand pulling at her back as much as she did, but that would be a feeling to digest later. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was far brighter when she woke some hours later, light trying to break through the black drapes but not enough to fill the room, and she stayed still to register her thoughts. Asami was still wrapped around her, the blankets were probably the softest thing she had ever felt on earth, maybe only second to the skin of the woman so wonderfully wrapped around her, and Korra rolled her eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You can’t fall for someone who only wanted to have sex with you, dummy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you overthinking again?” That sleepy voice in her neck asked and Korra huffed out a laugh. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe,” she replied, “I was just pretty sure the rules were you didn’t spend the night or something like that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We didn’t make any rules,” Asami replied, “and you’re warm, and comfortable.” She took a deep breath and started to stretch. “Why are you so warm? Do you have a fever?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No,” Korra said with a heartier laugh, “it’s a Water Tribe thing, for winters and such.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami hummed and leaned out of Korra’s neck to look behind her at the windows. “Well, looks like I’m going to be late today.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What time is it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh hold on, let me check the clock built into my brain,” Asami turned back and closed her eyes, “it’s, </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘I’m not wearing a watch o’clock.</span>
  </em>
  <span>’ Dork. I’m just usually out of the house before the sun is up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Such a little shithead. “Are you going to be in trouble with your boss?” Korra asked and wondered vaguely what time it actually was, since she actually might be late too, but she was far too comfortable to worry. Asami just looked at her curiously for a moment before shaking her head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, I think they’ll understand. Are you hungry?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m always hungry.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“As much as I would love to, I wasn’t talking about sex.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra raised up on her elbow and feigned shock, “and here I was thinking about a nice breakfast. Get your mind out of the gutter.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami laughed brightly and pushed her away by her entire face before rolling gracefully out of bed. “How about you go make us a nice breakfast then while I shower,” and she sauntered off towards the bathroom without looking back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And holy...shit...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra stared until she was out of sight and then blinked a few times. She had no clue where her clothes were, nor did she even remember how to get to the kitchen, but she would make it. She rummaged quickly through Asami’s drawers and grabbed some sweats and a shirt, which she hoped the woman wouldn’t mind, and surprisingly found her way to the kitchen. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was probably the nicest kitchen she had ever seen, and was worried about ruining something, but it was whatever. Asami had told her to do it, so she grabbed some ingredients and got to work while she thought of last night. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Of how Asami had bent her over the exact kitchen counter she was mixing ingredients on, about how there were probably countless red lines down her back from when she took her turn with the strap, about just how fucking soft those lips were. She had honestly lost count of how many orgasms she had, but those really weren’t even the best part of the whole night, not with how much fun they had. They would go from intense pounding to silly jokes while they snacked on food, mostly from Korra, which she could do all night if it got Asami to laugh the way she did. Those eyes, oh those eyes, she had never seen green so vocal, so animated, and somehow Korra could almost tell exactly what the woman wanted or needed by just her eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pancakes?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She whipped around and almost sent the batter flying and Asami didn’t even bother trying to hide her smile as she winked and walked to the cupboard. “Coffee?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You scared the shit out of me,” Korra replied with a huff, having not heard any sort of footsteps behind her during her mental musings, and ladled batter onto the pan, “and yes please.” She plopped blueberries onto the round liquid specifically before turning and watching Asami start the coffee. “Do you have something against pancakes?” She asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, I just haven’t had them in years.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra wanted to argue in shock but Asami had reached for the sugar bowl and missed when she winced.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you alright? What’s wrong?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh nothing,” she said with a smile, “I’ve just been getting these headaches and-“ she shrugged before grabbing the sugar and pouring some into her cup. “Sugar in yours?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, just cream,” Korra said before going to flip the pancakes. “How long have these headaches been happening? What do they feel like?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami snorted her dorky laugh, making Korra smile. “What, are you some kind of doctor?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I </span>
  <em>
    <span>am</span>
  </em>
  <span> a doctor, actually,” Korra said and smiled when the woman turned to look at her. “I guess we never got around to talking about that, but yeah - fifth year surgical resident at RC General hospital.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Damn,” Asami said with an impressed look, “that’s pretty hot.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra tried not to smirk, but it wasn’t everyday the most beautiful woman on earth called her hot. “Thanks, but about that headache, do you have some ibuprofen?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami waved her off and finished their coffees. “It’s fine, they usually go away after a while.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra didn’t like the sound of that and patted the counter. “Hop up here, do you have a little flashlight?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you going to do a physical, Doc?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That voice shouldn’t have made her shiver like it did, but damn. “Get on the counter, Asami,” she said and patted it again, smiling when the woman rolled her eyes but followed the direction, “now, flashlight?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Top drawer on the end, maybe?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So now that you know what I do,” she rummaged through the junk drawer and found a small flashlight, it would work, “what do you do?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m an engineer.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Brat. “Yes, I read that on your profile, but what kind? Where do you work?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami looked at her again with those curious eyes, tilting her head slightly, before answering. “I work at Future Industries.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh cool! We just got a new MRI machine from there and it kicks ass,” Korra said and stood between her legs, holding up a finger, “now follow my finger with just your eyes.” She shined the light in both eyes, pupils dilating just fine, and she rested her hands on Asami’s thighs. “When was the last time you had a checkup?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami kicked her leg, “I get checkups regularly, thank you very much.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But they don’t check everything during regular physicals,” Korra said and reached up to feel the lymph nodes on her neck, “how long have you had these headaches? Do you have any other symptoms that have seemed abnormal or out of nowhere?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami hummed. “Your doctor's voice is pretty hot too,” she said and wrapped her legs around Korra’s butt, “do you get hit on a lot?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t distract me,” she said and lifted arms that were attempting to go around her neck, checking other lymph nodes. “Well?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami smiled. “Korra?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re burning the pancakes.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fuck. Asami unlocked her legs and Korra ran over to scoop them all off the pan, cursing under her breath at completely forgetting about them, but at least they weren’t too bad. Darker than she usually liked them, but Korra always cooked them on a lower setting. They tasted better that way. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Damn,” she said and scratched the back of her neck. So much for trying to impress her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t worry,” Asami said and grabbed the plate, throwing her a wink, “I like them darker.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra threw her head back and laughed before pouring more batter onto the pan, turning up the heat slightly to speed up the process. “You’re kind of a dork, you know that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami hummed as she poured syrup all over her pancakes before hopping back up on the counter. “Yep, comes with being an engineer.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra figured she wouldn’t push about her health, having not got an answer from earlier, and flipped her pancakes. “Fuck, is that really the time?” She finally looked at the counter clock and her spine tingled, she was definitely a few hours late. “Where’s my phone...” She looked around as if it would be in the kitchen, knowing full well it was in her pants - wherever they were. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I really hope you’re not late for a big surgery or something,” Asami said with palpable concern. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, just clinic hours. Umm, where’s that room we were in last night? I think my phone is in my pants pocket.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami chuckled and hopped off the counter. “Mind the stove, I’ll go get your stuff.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And, well, okay she was totally right. Korra would get so lost trying to find that room and her stuff, but Asami was back quickly with all of her clothes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mako is going to kill me,” she muttered and searched for her phone, pulling it out and groaning at the seventeen missed calls from him and more texts than she cared to admit. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mako is...?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Best friend-slash-surgical resident with me,” she huffed and turned off the stove, plating her food, “we do clinic hours together and he’s been blowing up my phone.” She shrugged and clicked off her phone, not wanting to waste what time she had left with Asami. “No biggie, I’ve covered for him plenty of times. He can handle it.” She lathered her cakes in syrup and then hopped onto the counter next to Asami and dug in. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They ate in comfortable silence for a bit until they were both finished and Korra slid off the counter to do the dishes from her mess. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t worry about it,” Asami said easily, not moving from the counter. “My housekeeper will take care of it later.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Housekeeper?” Korra asked with a raised brow and Asami just shrugged. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m busy,” she said and held out her hand for Korra to join her. It was almost scary how natural it felt, how homey to just slide in between those legs and wrap her arms loosely around Asami’s stomach. It was almost as if they hadn’t just met last night, and Korra hated the thought of leaving. “I know you have to go, but I wanted to say thank you for last night,” she said softly, hands resting on Korra’s forearms, “I had a really great time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Me too,” she replied and she tried to put as much truth into those words as possible. “Okay so I know this was just a one night stand thing but you are amazing and last night was incredible and I know we’re both busy but I’d like to do this again, or something, and I know I’m rambling so I’m just going to take my clothes and run before you can give me an answer so I’ll have to think it’s a yes.” Korra took the wide-eyed stare and amused smile as a good thing and stepped back, kissing Asami’s hand, and grabbing her clothes before starting to walk away. “You should come to the hospital though and get checked out about those headaches, and come see me, I don’t know. Call me!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t have your number!” Asami said with a laugh as Korra started to walk down a hall she hoped would lead to the front door. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s on the fridge!” She had put it there last night when Asami had gone to the bathroom between their snacking and, well, fucking. Korra made it to the front door and smiled as she walked out, stopping beside her car to shoot a quick text to Bolin asking him to feed Naga, and her smile never left her face all the way to the hospital. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mako’s not going to believe this.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Three days, Mako!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh not this again...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is there something wrong with me?” Korra asked and pulled at his arm, turning him away from his binder full of paperwork, “am I ugly, Mako? We’re friends, you can tell me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed heavily, closing the binder and tucking it under his arm. “You’re not ugly, and there’s nothing wrong with you. Maybe it was just a one night stand to her, you know?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It felt like more than that!” she argued as they began walking towards the elevator, “I had the best sex of my life with her and-“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ouch.” He pushed the button down a little harder than normal and Korra cringed a bit. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry, I mean,” she tried, “we were young when you and I dated and we just...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We dated three years ago,” he deadpanned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She waved him off. “Same thing. What do you think though, really? Should I message her on tinder? Or is that too weird...do you think she’s waiting for that stupid three day thing?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Or maybe she’s just busy?” He said briskly and walked out of the elevator without her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something deeply unsettling occurred to her as she chased Mako to the nurses station. “What if she doesn’t like me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh for fucks sake, Korra,” he whispered and looked around, “then she doesn’t like you! Now can we do our job and help sick people?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay but after this-“ she said quickly, “we cuddled and then I made pancakes, Mako. Pancakes!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Someone give me a chart, please!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was about to reiterate the pancakes she had made those days ago but Bolin walked up and handed them both charts. “Bo? What are you doing in the ER? You hate it here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Picked up a float shift,” he said with a sigh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ahh, you wanted to see new girl, huh?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What new girl?” Mako asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The chief’s niece, she’s the new nurse up in oncology,” Korra replied with a smile, grinning when Bolin blushed. “Bo, they hardly ever need floaters in Onco. Why don’t you just go talk to her?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Says the girl who can’t even get a text back,” Mako huffed before grabbing a chart and walking off. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ass,” Korra muttered and turned back to Bolin, “just go talk to her, invite her to lunch or something. I saw that they have those cinnamon muffins in the cafeteria today, I know those are your favorite.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really?” Those damn muffins always brightened him up, it was so adorable. “Thanks Kor! I’ll give it a shot. Here though,” he pushed the other clipboard to her, “dislocated shoulder in bed three.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where’s Kuvira?” She asked and skimmed the chart, “she loves resetting these things.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Still in surgery with Kya.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Oh well. She took the chart and made her way to bed three, attempting to soothe the young man before popping his shoulder back into the socket, and she was feeling a bit better when she walked back to the nurses station. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know, Bo,” she mused and filled out the chart, “I know I’m not ortho but I can see how it calms Kuvira down to reset bones. It’s like it calms my frustrations down to just, </span>
  <em>
    <span>pop.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Gross,” he squirmed, “this is why I became a nurse.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra rolled her eyes and looked at another chart, “Bolin, nurses deal with nastier shit than some doctors do.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“True, but-“ the EMS radio beeped and Bolin picked it up while Mako put his clipboard back down and started to fill out his chart. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What did you get?” Korra asked and leaned over to look. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Little girl had the sniffles,” he said, “she just has allergies and mom is a helicopter. What did you get?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dislocated shoulder.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You always get the good ones,” he grumbled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Guys, we have three rigs coming in,” Bolin said from the radio, “guy blew a red light, hit a motorcycle and pedestrian. Motorcycle is conscious and alert but condition unknown still, pedestrian is critical, and the driver is lethargic.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dibs on the pedestrian!” They all turned to see Kuvira slipping on a trauma gown. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Weren’t you in surgery?” Mako asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We finished,” Kuvira said and tied back her hair, “I’m ready for more broken bones. The Great Uniter is here!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kuv,” Korra groaned and grabbed her own gown, “literally no one calls you that but yourself and it’s embarrassing.” She tied up what she could of her hair and looked at Mako. “Dibs on the motorcycle though.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” he cried, “why?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They have head traumas,” she replied and patted his back, “driver will probably have some nice lacerations for you to stitch up, Plastics.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He trailed behind as the three of them headed to the ambulance bay and huffed. “I told you, I’m not sure if I want to do plastics or not.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Plastics is a fine speciality,” Bumi said with a large clap and they all turned. “Great Uniter, take the pedestrian into trauma one and Kya will meet you in there when she can.” Kuvira pumped her fist at the name and they groaned. “Korra and I will get the motorcycle into trauma two, and we’ll have to work quick. She’s conscious and her ABC’s are clear, but they couldn’t even cut her leathers off, their shears wouldn’t budge.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Damn,” they all said together as the first rig rolled in. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jia Li, age 37, hit by the vehicle and made impact with the windshield before-“ was all they heard as Kuvira and the medics rushed the woman inside, and Korra shivered. She was a doctor, she was there to help, but she would never get used to seeing people hurt. She started bouncing as the next rig rolled up, she and Bumi both stepping forward as the doors opened and a medic jumped out. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The second she saw the shiny black hair, Korra jumped into action.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Asami Sato, 28, her motorcycle hit the front of the car and she flew over the-“ but Korra’s ears went fuzzy as they wheeled her in, she wouldn’t dare look into the eyes she could feel trained on herself as they lifted Asami off the gurney and onto the trauma bed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Korra,” she heard muffled through the oxygen mask but didn’t say anything, just grabbed the shears handed to her by a nurse and started to cut as Bumi gave orders. “Korra-“ swirling, everything was swirling.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bumi checked her eyes and mouth while Korra began to palpate Asami’s stomach for any signs of internal bleeding, and thankfully found none. Her eyes flew up to the monitor every so often as she started an IV, Asami’s vitals remaining surprisingly strong for someone who just got in an accident, but Korra was feeling sicker and sicker every second. What if something else was wrong? They wouldn’t know without X-rays and a CT scan, she needed to get an ultrasound of her stomach to make sure-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Damn it, Korra!” Asami grunted and ripped off her mask, only able to move her eyes since her neck was still in a c-collar. “Will you stop ignoring me?” She could see everyone stop and Korra finally looked away from the monitor and into those green eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t call, I’ve just been really busy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra took a deep breath and sighed quickly. “Can we talk about this when I’ve made sure you’re not about to die on me, please?” The fact that Asami had made it seem like she wanted to call was enough to ease her stomach just a little, but not entirely. There were so many tests to run, she needed them all done and done quickly, there could be anything wrong with her-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami laughed, “sure, Doc, though I’m pretty sure I’m not dying.” She wiggled a bit and sucked in a hissing breath, which made Korra sick to her stomach once again, but Asami just smiled. “Maybe a few cracked ribs and some winning bruises, but besides a slight concussion I’m just dandy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Why is she so calm about getting hit by a fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>car?</span>
  </em>
  <span> “What, do you have some penchant for crashing your motorcycle or something?” Korra asked. “Are you actually in some underground bike gang?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Korra...” Bumi said and she looked up to see that everyone in the room was staring at her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She doesn’t pay attention to current events, Doctor-“ Asami said to Bumi. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just call me Bumi, and yes she does seem to be out of the loop, doesn’t she?” He gleamed. “Your leathers saved you some serious injuries, young lady. I’m impressed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dress for the slide, not the ride,” Asami wheezed with a wink to him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can we treat our patient?” Whether she was out of the loop or not, Asami still was on a trauma bed, naked, and seemingly fine; it didn’t mean she was out of the clear. “Get me some blankets and call radiology to tell them we’re coming, I’m going to take her up to get imaging and actually do my </span>
  <em>
    <span>job</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” She gave the order to a nurse that was standing around and eyed both Bumi and Asami. “Do you have pain anywhere else, Asami? Do you remember what happened?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So serious,” Asami quipped but looked up at the ceiling to gauge her body, “I’m definitely sore all over, which is to be expected. My shoulders and neck hurt, my head is pounding, and...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra didn’t like the sound of that pause. “And what?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t remember the accident, just leaving my house. I had a headache again, but was already late for work so I took my bike to cut traffic.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not remembering the accident is common,” Korra tried to soothe as she laid the warm blankets given to her on top of Asami. “The headaches though, you’re still having them from the other day?” She ignored the way Bumi looked at her from the corner of her eye and unlocked the bed wheels. “Let’s get her rolling up to radiology,” she said and started to move. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, still the same. Probably just the stress from work.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is your boss on your ass or something?” Korra asked and pushed the button for level three. “Maybe you should take some time off if it’s stressing you out so much.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re really cute, you know,” Asami mused and smiled brilliantly up at her, “so damn cute, but I’m not exactly in a position to take off work.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra bit the side of her cheek to calm down her blush, but it really was nice to have Asami call her cute. “What, are you the head of your department or something?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Or something,” Asami muttered as the doors opened and they wheeled her down the hall. “Can we get this collar off yet? I’m uncomfortable.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We will take that off when I know you don’t have a spinal injury,” Korra said flatly. “Until then, it stays on. Being in a wheelchair isn’t exactly comfortable, believe me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sounds like you speak from experience-“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nope, not happening now,“-aaaand here we have the room where we’re going to X-ray </span>
  <em>
    <span>everything</span>
  </em>
  <span>...” Korra deflected easily, “hey Zhu Li, I’ve got Asami here for X-rays and CTs.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course, Dr. K, we will take care of her and get those results to you right away.” Korra would usually leave now, in fact she never really took patients up to radiology at all and would just wait for the results, but she wasn’t ready to leave Asami’s side. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think I’m going to stay, actually,” she said and watched Zhu Li set up the equipment, “is Varrick busy? I want to make sure he can read the images as soon as possible.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Varrick is always up to something,” she replied flatly as ever, though Korra could see the cute faint of blush on her cheeks. The images came in quickly and though she wasn’t a radiologist, there were some definite cracks in her ribs. Nothing much could be done about that, sadly, but everything seemed to be clear along her cervical spine, so that was somewhat decent news. Korra huffed but she would have to be patient, which wasn’t exactly her strong suit, and once they got all of her X-rays taken care of she wheeled Asami over to CT.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I really did want to call, Korra,” she said now that they were alone. Korra had sent the nurse off that had helped them earlier since she could do this on her own - wanted to do this on her own. “I’m sorry if I made you feel like I didn’t, I was just-“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Busy,” she said softly, “I get it, Asami, I do, I’m just a little more concerned about everything else right now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you always give your patients this much care?” She asked with a wry smile and Korra shushed her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It is in my job description to give top notch patient care, thank you very much.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh Korra,” Asami said as she was wheeled into the CT room, “there’s nothing ‘top’ about you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why you little-“ she tried to say but Pema came around the corner just then. “Pema! This is-“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Miss Sato, yes I got the call, Korra,” she said sweetly, knowing damn well that Korra was never like this, “come help me get her onto the machine?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once they had safely moved Asami onto the CT board and got her IV hooked up for the dye, Pema left to go behind the wall. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Korra?” Asami said and looked over at her somewhat nervously. “I uhh, I’m really glad to see you again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well that sent a punch through her stomach. “I’m glad to see you too, Asami. Though, the circumstances could have been a bit better,” she said and Asami just laughed before looking back up at the ceiling. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra walked behind the safety wall with Pema, remembering Asami’s headaches from those few days ago, and she had to know. “Image her head first,” she said quickly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s not really how-“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pema, please,” Korra pleaded and the woman nodded before pressing some buttons. Her head felt heavy and dizzy while she waited for the whirring machine to start producing images, and it only took a few seconds to see exactly what she needed to. “Call the chief, and get Asami up to MRI as soon as possible.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She didn’t wait for any reply on her way out, the faint sound of a sad ‘Korra,’ just sending more punches straight through her stomach. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>_____</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Waiting sucked, Asami hardly ever had to wait for anything really, but at least she had some nice pain medicine to relax her body a little. Even though she was used to crashing, the pain of it never got any easier, only known. She, for one, knew pain. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Seeing Korra again had been a hell of a shock, even though she knew that the woman was a doctor, Asami had never figured that she would someday become her patient, or so soon. Sitting there for what turned out to be hours had given her time to mull over everything that had happened in the last few days, one of the best being that first moment she opened her front door and saw the most gorgeous woman she had ever seen standing in front of her, choppy hair still a little wet from a rushed shower. Never had she imagined that Korra would be the one looking down at her as she was pulled out of an ambulance, or that she would be cutting her leathers off instead of pulling her shirt off hastily in the heat of the moment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But that’s just life. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And life was busy, oh sweet Raava was life busy, and Asami felt like she only blinked from the moment Korra ran from her house until that morning when she was late to work. The vomiting had gotten worse, her shaking hands had gotten worse, and she really had planned to get checked up soon but...life was busy. So busy that she had hesitated to call Korra because, well, when would she have the time to give someone her energy? Running a corporation wasn’t exactly the easiest thing, and even though she felt more for the woman in those few hours together than she had ever with anyone else, it wouldn’t have been fair to her. Korra, sweet, wonderful, charming, hilarious Korra - she deserved it all. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a knock on her door and none other than ‘Dr. K’ herself walked into the room, that little smile on the curve of her lips Asami so wonderfully knew the taste of. She looked damn good in scrubs and a doctor's coat, holy shit. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey,” Korra said and walked up to her bed, “you know, when I told you to come see me at work I didn’t mean you should show up in an ambulance.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What can I say,” Asami said with a half-shrug, thankful that they took the c-collar off her some hours ago, “I have a flair for dramatics.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can see that,” Korra said and sat on the edge of the bed, “how are you feeling? You were right about the ribs, how’s the pain?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She looked so sincere, and Asami felt a soft swoop in her stomach at being the focus of those damn eyes. “Pain is tolerable, I’m just sore.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you want me to give you some more?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, I’m okay,” Asami said and tried to sit up a little higher, “I don’t like being hopped up on pain meds.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra crossed her arms and hummed. “Our radiologist said you have a few healed fractures on both collarbones and ribs. I get the feeling you might actually be in an underground riding gang and you just </span>
  <em>
    <span>look</span>
  </em>
  <span> sweet and innocent.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami threw her head back and laughed, which hurt a little bit, but it had been so long since she laughed so hard. Korra seemed to be able to get her to do it easily, and it was sort of magic. “I used to race motorcycles professionally, not underground.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s hot,” Korra said and slapped a hand to her mouth quickly, “shit, I’m sorry, that’s really inappropriate of me right now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She tried to hold back her laugh this time for Korra’s sake. “It’s fine, I was thinking the same thing about you in scrubs so I guess we’re even.” And oh wasn’t that blush just delicious. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right, so back to medicine,” Korra deflected and rubbed at the back of her neck, which was a very nice sight to behold. She really was just so cute, but she looked nervous. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So what is it?” Asami asked seriously, “what do I have?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra looked at her and tilted her head a bit. “We don’t know exactly yet, but our chief of surgery is looking at your CT’s and MRI right now. She will be able to give you a better answer and there will probably be more tests we have to do, but so far-“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Am I going to die, Korra?” She needed her to cut to the chase and not beat around the bush, she’s dealt with enough of that for a lifetime. Asami wanted to know what she was up against, and she needed Korra to give it to her straight. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A fierce determination set across those devastatingly blue eyes and Asami’s stomach swooped a little more at the sight. “Not on my watch, you’re not.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re not wearing a watch, Korra.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The eye roll she got for that one was absolutely delicious and Korra slapped her knee playfully. “You’re such a brat, you know?” And her pager went off before Asami could reply. “Ahh, it’s the chief. I gotta go but I’ll be back soon, alright?” She nodded at her and Korra got up to leave, taking a little bit of sunshine with her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>How did it suddenly feel as if they had known each other for way longer than they actually did? They had probably spent less than twenty-four hours together but Asami wanted her close, for reasons she couldn’t exactly dissect yet. Attraction wasn’t unknown to her, she had felt attraction to many people in her lifetime, but the pull she felt to Korra was far more than any other person. She just had this...way about her, this easy intensity that brought a glint of extra life into whatever space she moved in. It was breathtaking, and entrancing, and if she wasn’t careful, Asami might become addicted to it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Waiting didn’t take nearly as long this time, thankfully, and after a few minutes a group of people in white coats, Korra among them, walked back into her room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Miss Sato? I’m Chief Beifong, head of neuro and chief of surgery.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Neuro?” Asami said and looked at Korra who looked like she wanted to be anywhere but in that room, and she could feel spikes of fear ripple down her body. “My headaches-“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, Dr. K informed me that you have been having headaches that appear in the morning and ease during the day, how long has this been going on for?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They’ve been getting worse over the last...two months?” She admitted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Any other symptoms,” the chief asked, “anything else out of the ordinary?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve started to throw up sometimes these last few weeks.” She felt so stupid, and Asami could almost feel Korra’s eyes narrow on her, but she couldn’t look. “Am I dying?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not if I have anything to say about it,” the chief said firmly. “Miss Sato you have a mass in your cerebellum, which is the part of your brain that sits right above your brain stem. We will need to run some more tests, but I believe what you have is called a medulloblastoma. It’s an aggressive type of brain tumor, but with surgery and treatment it is one of the most treatable brain tumors out there.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her head swam with the information and the dizziness she felt had nothing to do with a tumor, but everything to do with pure panic. She could hear her monitor begin to beep with her rising heart rate and she vaguely heard someone ordering people out of the room while she closed her eyes to get a hold of reality. Asami felt a mask go over her face and she flailed in her panic, opening her eyes to be met with such calm blue. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, just breathe,” Korra said gently and put the oxygen mask back on her. “Just breathe with me.” Korra leaned over and muted the machine that was yelling at them and turned her focus back to Asami, eyes never leaving hers, and she eventually calmed down. “Much better. I know it’s a lot to take in, but we’re here to help you, alright? The neuro team here is one of the best in the world, and they’re going to take such good care of you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“One of the best?” Asami huffed and pulled the mask off, “where’s the best? I want to see them, my brain is very important to me, you know?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh and here I was thinking you weren’t going to be sassy for once.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your mistake there,” Asami bantered and looked down at where Korra had her hand resting on her own. “Was she serious, that the medull-whatever-“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Medulloblastoma-“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Bless you,” oh that eye roll made her stomach flutter, “medulloblastoma...it’s very treatable?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra slid her finger gently across the palm of Asami’s hand before answering. “There are a lot of factors that go into it, but on average, yes. They’re going to do a spinal tap on you to see if there are any cancer cells in your spinal fluid, and then the chief will get as much of the tumor out as she can, and once we have those two we will know more of what we’re dealing with. After surgery you will be treated with radiation and chemotherapy to cut any risk of there being malignant cells left anywhere. Our oncology team is outstanding, I grew up with the chief of Oncology and she’s incredible.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a lot to take in, that was for sure, but the continual reassurance made her feel slightly less queasy. “Okay,” she said and looked back at their hands where Korra was still running her fingers absentmindedly over her palm, “can you just sit with me for a minute while I digest all of this?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course.” Korra watched her for a bit with those damn eyes that had her melting at how much power they held, the concern in them so palpable, it made her stomach ache. “Is there anyone we can call for you? I know this can’t be easy to digest on your own and-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She cut her off with a choked sob that she tried to disguise as a laugh. “I don’t have anyone to call, Korra, but thank you. I’ll be alright.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay,” was the only reply she heard and Asami was endlessly thankful that Korra didn’t push the subject...that would be just too much for her broken brain right now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>______</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A hand grabbed her arm and yanked her into an empty hallway and Korra nearly punched the offender in the face, until she saw that it was Mako. “What was that for?” She asked and rubbed her arm where he had gripped her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The girl you’ve been bitching and moaning about is Asami freaking Sato? How did you leave that out of the conversation?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t know her last name, sorry,” Korra said, more than a little miffed at his incessancy. “And so? People are just people, we talk about this all the time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah but they’re usually our patients and not people we’ve </span>
  <em>
    <span>slept</span>
  </em>
  <span> with”  Mako said with a click of his tongue. “Korra, do you really not know who she is?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know,” she said with a shrug and crossed her arms, “she said she was some professional racer or something.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mako sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose again, he seemed to be doing a lot of that as of late. “She wasn’t just a racer, she was </span>
  <em>
    <span>the</span>
  </em>
  <span> racer. World renowned Moto-GP, only female to ever race...had to give it all up to take over the company when her dad died - this really not ringing any bells?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait, the company as in...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You really need to get out into the world more, Kor,” he said while shaking his head. “Asami Sato is probably the most gorgeous, intelligent, badass woman on this planet, and you slept with her. I’m just - I could cry I’m so proud.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh shush,” Korra replied. “Like I said, she’s just a person. A very cool, very pretty, very amazing person that I like way more than I should and she was my patient and I was so terrified I didn’t know what to do or if she was hurt or-“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He grabbed her shoulders to calm her down, “Korra, chill. Hey, if it wasn’t for that accident it might have taken way longer to find that tumor-“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How’d you know about that?” She asked quickly and Mako rubbed the back of his neck, a tick that Korra thinks he got from her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s sort of getting around the residents that she’s here and everything that happened.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra started to pace in their empty hallway, “Mako, we need to keep this under wraps, can you imagine what this would do for her publicity? Shit, damn, I need to go talk to the hospital’s PR team and get them to call Future Industries and-“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, Dr. K, that’s not your job,” he said and stopped her by her shoulders again. “Someone as high profile as Asami will have that happen no matter what, you need to focus on-“ her pager beeping interrupted them and she checked it, “-that. Your duty is to your patients.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes mom,” Korra said dryly and hooked her pager back onto her pocket, “it’s the chief, I gotta go.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra let her mind wander while she headed for the chief’s office about Asami being the CEO of arguably one of the biggest corporations in the world. Remembering her say that she had been stressed with work made Korra laugh, because damn, what an understatement that must have been. With all that, it still didn’t change a thing about how she felt, she was still just Asami to her. That was enough. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Chief?” Korra said as she knocked and opened the door, “you wanted to see me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, come on in,” she said and pointed to the chair in front of her desk. “I need you to perform the spinal tap on Miss Sato and get her pre-op done before surgery tomorrow afternoon.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry, what?” Korra said, absolutely stunned. “Surgery, already? And you want </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span> to do the spinal tap?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The chief took off her glasses and eyed Korra carefully. “You know as well as I do that time is of the essence with this kind of tumor, Korra. And yes, you’ll do the spinal tap and you will be scrubbing in with me tomorrow on the surgery.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” She said even more shrill this time. “Lin, chief, Beifong...I-I don’t know if I can do that. Asami...she’s-“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is she your girlfriend?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, no, but-“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your wife?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, chief, but-“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The mother of your unborn child?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Raava, no, but chief!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Korra I need you to look me in the eye then and give me the name of another resident that you trust 100% to takeover your position in the OR. Can you do that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra thought quickly and the answer came as easy as a breath. “No, I wouldn’t trust anyone else but you and me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Exactly,” the chief said with a rare smile, “now go and be the doctor I know you can be and get out of my office with your sappy romance crap.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, chief,” Korra said and left quickly. She and the chief had butted heads far too often when she first started her residency at RC Gen, but over time they hashed out their differences, which really were just two stubborn know-it-all’s who clashed with their similarities, and Lin had become - secretly - one of her favorite people. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Also the fact that Korra chose Neuro as her specialty sort of meant that she had to like the head of Neuro if she wanted a chance at surgeries, but it worked out well. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But now she had to go and stick a needle in Asami’s spine, and if all her stats were good, she would have to cut into her head tomorrow. Just lovely. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra took some time collecting all of the supplies she would need for pre-op, and decided that she would wait just a bit to get the spinal tap done, but it at least gave her some time to calm down and think. She was a doctor, helping people was, as she felt, something she was born and destined to do. Korra knew deep in her that even though she was terrified of being in that operating room with Asami on the table, there was no one else she would be comfortable with in there besides herself and Beifong. The chief was right, she really wasn’t that close to the woman, no matter how much she wanted to be, and Korra needed to focus so she could save her life. Doctor first, disaster bisexual second. She huffed out a laugh and wheeled the EKG cart down the hallway. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Asami?” She asked with a knock and opened the door a little bit. Asami was on the phone but smiled and beckoned her inside anyway. Korra let her finish the call and read her chart, checking to make sure everything was still okay, and then waited. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Look, I have to go but get that all finished up and I’ll call you back later. Bye.” She hung up her phone and gave Korra her whole attention, which made her melt a bit, and she smiled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you ever stop working?” Korra asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not really an option for me,” Asami replied and held up her phone. “Though this is about to die soon so I won’t be that much help.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sure we can find a matching charger in lost and found for you,” Korra mused and got out the leads. “And don’t you have assistants? I mean, as CEO I would think you could delegate some work to other people.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Nailed it.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Korra wondered how she would bring up that elephant in the room and figured she would just be casual, which seemed to work, as Asami threw her head back and laughed so beautifully before starting to cough and hold her ribs. “Woah there,” Korra said and reached for her shoulders, “you alright?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami just nodded and smiled. “So you figured me out, huh?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sort of hard not to when everyone is looking at me like an idiot for not knowing who you are.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami hummed. “I figured it was only a matter of time, but I have to admit, I might miss you being unaware. It was cute and honestly, somewhat refreshing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Refreshing?” Korra asked, completely stalling what she came here to do. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mhmm,” Asami said with a nod. “People seem to have me up on this pedestal because of who I am and what I do. I can’t even go buy tampons or eat at a greasy food place without someone noticing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The dejected way she said it was what caught in  Korra’s chest, and she hated to pity her. It was a life she knew as well, just apparently not as severe as the woman on the bed. “Well, I can promise I won’t ever treat you any differently. CEO or not, you’re just as pink and bloody on the inside as everyone else.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Have I ever told you how romantic you are?” Asami said and they both paused before breaking into laughter. “But really,” she continued once their giggles subsided, “thank you. It means a lot to me, but I’m sure you actually want to do your job now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra grimaced but nodded. “I saw that the chief was in here, did she go over the surgery with you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A bit,” Asami said, “she’s a rather gruff woman, isn’t she?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra laughed. “She’s a bit rough around the edges, but she’s alright. Okay but right now I’m going to do an EKG for your pre-op, I’ll need to get some blood for tests, and then you can ask me anything you want about the surgery.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami watched her as she put all of the electrode stickers where they needed to be, and Korra winced slightly when she saw the deep bruises starting to form on her shoulder and chest where Asami had hit the ground. It had been a whirlwind of a day and she had almost forgotten about the accident in lieu of the brain tumor she would be cutting out tomorrow. Almost. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The chief said you’ll be in the surgery tomorrow,” Asami said softly when Korra was almost done setting up and she paused. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s correct. Is that...something you’re uncomfortable with?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“On the contrary,” she replied and laid back onto the bed, “it might be a bit weird, you seeing my brain and such, but I trust you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra nodded and started connecting the leads, “okay, just relax for about fifteen seconds,” she said and started.  Asami closed her eyes and she just watched as she breathed, trying to relax her own mind about, well, everything. “And done,” she said and unclipped everything in one go. Korra helped remove all the stupid stickers and threw them away before sitting on the edge of the bed and grabbed the stethoscope from her neck. “Alright, I’m going to - what?” She asked when Asami smirked at her. “What did I do?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh nothing,” Asami replied and smiled wider, “it’s just that you being a doctor is far, far hotter than I imagined it would be. I shouldn’t be turned on by you grabbing your stethoscope but damn.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And oh, well shit. Korra had to bite the side of her cheek and take a deep breath. Your patient, going to see the inside of her head tomorrow, </span>
  <em>
    <span>your patient.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Too much?” Asami asked and Korra huffed out a laugh.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve just never been in this situation before, and I’m struggling to act accordingly, you know? On one hand, you’re my patient, but on the other hand, you’re...” hot, perfect, absolutely incredible in bed...Korra just shut her mouth and Asami seemed to understand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll try and tone it down,” she said and let Korra check her breathing and heart. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your surgery is at 4:00pm tomorrow,” she said once she had taken the vials of blood she needed, “which means you can’t eat past 4:00am. Do you want something specific? I can pick up whatever you want.” I’d do anything for you to let you worry less. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami looked off against the wall in thought for a second. “Can I think about it for a bit?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure thing.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Asami baby, I keep asking myself why I do these things to you, but I just don't have the answers, I'm sorry.</p>
<p>Also a big word of advice in terms of riding motorcycles, especially on the streets: there is a reason medical personnel call them "organ donors." Human bodies don't do well with nothing to protect them, and if you feel so inclined as to ride a streetbike, wear full gear all the time. It's not IF you'll get in an accident, it's WHEN. And it's more than likely not going to be your fault.</p>
<p>Other than that, medical knowledge!</p>
<p>ABC's - Airway, breathing, circulation. Is their airway clear, can they breathe (how is their breathing), how is their pulse/blood flow.</p>
<p>Medulloblastoma - is actually one of the most common cancerous brain tumors found in children, but can also occur in adults, more commonly in the ages of 20-40 and more likely to occur in men. It's a fast growing, malignant tumor that grows above the cerebellum, restricting flow of cerebral spinal fluid leading to increased intracranial pressure. This causes issues with balance and coordination, along with many other things that I could go on an on about for a very long time.</p>
<p>Hope you're all enjoying so far!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Sleeping was just not something that happened when you were in a hospital, Asami had known. She absolutely knew this, what with nurses coming in every few hours to check her vitals and then shift changes, she knew that she wouldn’t sleep. Did she try? Of course. Did it fail each time? Oh yeah. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But she tried, at least, and that’s what counted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She still had some affairs to get in order for the few weeks of post-op recovery time she would have to take off work, which she was a bit queasy about giving up control for that long, but life happens. Asami knew that life was something that, as hard as she tried, she couldn’t control. No. When her father died and everything went to shit for a few months while she tried to figure everything out, Asami knew that she would have to get a Plan B ready, just in case. Apparently it was time to implement that plan. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was probably another reason she couldn’t sleep, for the lights and sounds of the hospital weren’t all that different than the sounds of a workshop she had slept in countless times, but rather the fact that her head was about to get cut open in a few hours. She glanced at the time on her - thankfully - silent monitor and read a small, white, 02:36. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Thirteen hours and twenty-four minutes,’</span>
  </em>
  <span> she said to herself and laid back against the bed. It wasn’t a lot of time, not really, but it was enough time to sit there and let her stomach roil in thought of what could go wrong. She thought back to her conversation with Korra as she got a spinal tap, sweet and surprisingly gentle Korra. She was so taken by the woman, who seemed to be able to flip a switch from bashful to incredibly cocky with the blink of an eye. Subtle flirting would get her cheeks to turn the loveliest shade of pink across dark skin but then her eyes would flicker and she would discuss something medical. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Which was somehow even hotter. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami could keep up with the numbers and such, not exactly all of the huge medical terms, but Korra would try her best to put things into layman’s terms for her when she could. Korra was so good, so pretty, and she closed her eyes and let her mind wander to just a few hours ago. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Okay, now you’re just going to have to lay back straight on the bed for about half an hour to let your spine settle.’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Yes, Doc.’ </span>
  </em>
  <span>Asami had said which made Korra smirk shyly.</span>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘So do you have any questions about the procedure or anything while you lay here?’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Why did you choose Neuro?’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Wow, not what I was expecting but alright.’ </span>
  </em>
  <span>Korra sat back and laid her ankle across her knee, knitting her fingers together. So gorgeous.</span>
  <em>
    <span> ‘It hadn’t been my original intention, you know, and when I first started my residency I was honestly too impatient for it, but something just struck me about it one day. I was on Lin’s service, Chief Beifong, and I’ll spare the details but we got this kid who was just a rookie on the police force and got caught in crossfires. He was just a kid, a few years younger than me at that time. Lin and I worked for hours, we had to keep bringing him back, but we did it. He made a full recovery and it was just...I fell in love with it. The brain is someone’s entire being, you know? You can graft skin and bone, transplant organs, but you only get one brain.’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Wow-‘</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Yeah sorry, I sort of get excited to talk about things and I’m sure that was more than you wanted and-‘</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Korra hush, that’s exactly what I wanted to hear. It’s really cute to see you geek out over something you clearly enjoy. Trust me when I say that you would be hard pressed to get me to shut up when I start talking about engines.’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Okay, tell me about engines then.’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Oh no, this is still my choice of topic.’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Fine then, shoot.’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Terrible timing for that choice of words, but anyway...when you told me you were a doctor the other day I sort of imagined you in ortho or something. I hope I’m not going beyond my reach here, but you kind of seem like a jock and isn’t that the token “jock” specialty?’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra had such a beautiful laugh.</span>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘You’re definitely not wrong, and ortho is pretty fun, but I don’t think I would have loved it there. For a time I thought about general surgery, since that’s more learning a lot of aspects about the body, but now my heart is set on Neuro. And honestly, if you met our ortho resident, you probably wouldn’t want to fight for it either, she’s pretty intense.’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Aren’t you intense?’ </span>
  </em>
  <span>It was one of her favorite things about the woman, how those eyes could steel and the way her jaw clenched was just...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘....yes I definitely am, but I think I channel my intensity differently than she does.’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami smiled to herself about just how well Korra channeled her intensity, her mind wandering to that night, when a soft knock sounded on her door. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Asami?” Korra whispered and peeked her head in, “are you awake?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Speak of the devil. “You act like anyone can sleep in a hospital,” Asami laughed and beckoned her in. “Why are you whispering?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra smiled brightly, almost bright enough to light the room in the middle of the night, and sauntered in. Gone were the scrubs and doctors coat for a baggy blue sweatshirt and a pair of guys sleep shorts that did wonderful things with her legs - a duffel bag thrown lazily over her shoulder perfecting the comfortable look - and Asami wanted nothing more than for Korra to jump into the bed with her and just lay there. The thought made her throat run dry. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well first, I didn’t know if you were awake,” Korra said with a finger pointed at her for emphasis, “and I’m maybe, sort of, kind of breaking the rules by behind here right now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you going to get in trouble?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A pause. “Probably not.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good enough for me,” Asami said with a shrug and Korra stuck her tongue out at her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll have you know, I sort of have a penchant for breaking the rules when I don’t think they make sense or should apply to me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why am I not surprised,” Asami said with a sigh and watched as Korra took an insulated bag out of the duffle. She actually brought food, the wonderful woman. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean, I work here, and I am your doctor, so technically I don’t think I’m breaking the visitors rule, you know?” She started whispering to herself, something about syrup, and then did a little happy dance when she found a bottle in the bag. “As you asked, my tumored lady, blueberry pancakes!” Korra flourished her hand with a bow at the surprisingly put together plate of pancakes and Asami looked at her steadily. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you really just call me that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra looked at her and she looked at Korra and they both raised their eyebrows at each other and broke out into laughter. Korra had to sit down she was laughing so hard and Asami had to hold her ribs but couldn’t stop, and she for sure thought a nurse was going to come in at any moment and yell at that. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Holy shit, Korra,” Asami gasped when they finally calmed down, “you really are such a charmer, aren’t you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I try my best,” she replied with a huge dorky smile and Asami just shook her head. “You better hurry with those pancakes, it’s getting close to four.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, Doc,” Asami said seriously and she noticed Korra shiver slightly. Interesting. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They both dug into their pancakes, chatting softly about little nothings between sticky bites, and soon enough Korra was cleaning everything up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Korra shouldn’t you be getting some sleep?” Asami finally said once she realized that the woman throwing away paper plates was going to be drilling into her head later. “What time do you have to work?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra just laughed and wiped off her hands on her shorts. “Doctors don’t need sleep, don’t you know that?” And Asami’s face must have shown her distaste for the comment because Korra rolled her eyes and stuffed her hands in her pockets. “I don’t have to report until noon, so don’t worry. I’m just going to sleep in an on-call room.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Okay, well that made her feel a little better, in a sense. “Well, don’t let me keep you then,” she said, not wanting Korra to go. “We both have a big day later.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra stepped forward and eyed her carefully. “Is there anything you need to ask me, or something else you need?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dread instantly filled her stomach, the time that Korra had been in the room had given Asami an escape from her thoughts about the surgery, but now they were back. She looked at Korra, looking completely casual and not like the doctor she now knew her to be, and she did want something...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kiss me,” Asami said before she could stop herself. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Korra said with a slightly shocked expression. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Korra, kiss me,” she said, “I just - I’m scared, and all I keep thinking about is wishing that I had held onto that morning the other day a little tighter, and how it was the most normal I’ve felt in so long, and now this surgery - I don’t know what to expect. You don’t have to, I get that, but I need something to take me away from this and you’re not on the clock and I might die and you’re just the only person who-“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shhh, okay,” Korra said quickly and sat on the edge of the bed, “hey it’s okay, it’s okay to be scared, alright?” She said softly and took one of Asami’s hands in her own, “I have to admit, the rambling is surprisingly cute,” she smiled and tucked a piece of hair behind Asami’s ear. “You sure?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami nodded, she was surprised at how sure she was. “Yes,” she almost whispered and Korra looked back and forth between her eyes before scooting closer and started to lean in. “And Korra? I need you to kiss me like it’s the last thing I ever do.” Because, well, it might be. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami could feel her eyes flutter close when Korra nodded slightly and leaned in all the way, stopping with a ghost of lips on her own to share shaky breaths, and then they both finally gave in. She drank in the softness of those lips she had craved for days and moved against them when Korra tilted her head slightly. She was just so good, so gentle when needed, and Asami felt herself start to breathe heavier as she began to panic. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No. Stop feeling that. Be in the moment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She needed more, she needed that </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘I might actually die,’</span>
  </em>
  <span> type of last kiss, and so Asami reached her hand up and grasped a tuft of hair at the base of Korra’s head and pulled them closer, thankful to every spirit out there that the woman got the message and caved. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And oh how wonderful it was. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The feeling of the shuttering deep breath through Korra’s nose before she was pushed against the bed, held down by hot hands as lips molded perfectly against her own. Asami was keening, but she couldn’t care any less - she was floating. It felt so good, it was the perfect escape just as those days ago had been, and for a moment she let herself believe that things weren’t so shitty, that she was just normal for once. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra regretfully started to let up from her lips and dragged her mouth slowly along Asami’s jaw and sighed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We should both get some sleep,” she husked into her neck and Asami felt her skin explode in goosebumps at the feeling. She just let it happen and let out a shaky breath. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know how much sleep I’ll get, but you can go ahead.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra pulled back and looked into her eyes, and fuck how had anything ever been so blue, so full of soul and compassion? Asami wanted to dive in, to never come up for a breath out of the waters of those eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you need anything else, Asami?” Korra asked, voice starting to take on that tone, “I can go ask one of the residents if-“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t,” she stopped her, “please don’t be a doctor right now. I need you to be just Korra - please.” She never begged, it was one thing Asami never allowed herself, but it was surprisingly easy to give up her protective demeanor around the woman, and Korra thankfully softened. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you want me to stay? I can sleep on the chair or something.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami shook her head and pulled at the bottom hem of Korra’s shorts, really not wanting her to go anywhere. How the hell did she get herself so attached so quickly? “No, go get your sleep. I’ll be alright.” She tried to smile but she knew it didn’t work all that well. “I’ll be fine, Korra. And thank you, really,” she paused and tried to sound strong, “for all of this. You didn’t have to do so much, and I really appreciate it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra’s eyebrows furrowed slightly before she nodded. “You got it. If you need anything, anything at all, just have one of the nurses call me, okay?” She stood up and grabbed her duffel bag with a soft smile. “Anything at all. Get some sleep, I’ll see you tomorrow.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Seeing that cocky smirk before Korra swept out of the room pulled at a weird spot in Asami’s stomach and she just laid down and pushed the feeling away. She closed her eyes and replayed that kiss over and over in her head, the feel of Korra’s lips on her own had been otherworldly, just like the other day, and she marveled in how one person could just flip her world upside down so quickly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It seemed to be happening a lot, somehow with Korra being the very axis of her world flipping, but somehow it felt so right. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>_____</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Korra thanked every spirit out there that - as a resident - her body was trained to sleep on command. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She wouldn’t call the hours of sleep she got restful by any means, but they were something. Nerves weren’t unusual for her before a surgery, as it was never really easy to cut into someone’s body, but of course there was just a little extra factor adding to her nerves today. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Asami! How are you?” Korra asked as she came to stand at the end of the bed, grabbing the clipboard and checking all her pre-op stats. Bolin gave her a nod and switched over some fluids before walking away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just dandy,” Asami said and tried to fidget with her IV line. “About to get my head cut open, you know. The usual Thursday routine.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s Wednesday...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Same thing,” she said with a wave. “Bolin was telling me that you’re the chief resident here. How come you never told me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sweet Bolin, never being able to close his mouth. “It’s not a big deal.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“On the contrary,” Asami bantered and laid back with a loopy smile, “it makes me feel a bit better knowing the best is drilling into me. Though-“she said with a smirk and Korra’s stomach dropped, “-I think I’d rather you drill into me a different way right about now. Your surgery scrubs are nice and tight around your a-“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay!” Korra said with a quick clap and looked over to the prep team. “Bo, she’s good to go, but put some extra tape on that IV line, she tried to scratch it.” Asami squinted at her with an attempt at a menacing look and Korra wondered if Tenzin had given her too much hydroxyzine. Oh well. “We’re going to take good care of you, Asami. Don’t worry, alright?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Green eyes hardened and no, she definitely didn’t get too much medication. “I trust you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The complete faith kept Korra’s stomach in a knot all the way to the locker room where she changed shoes and tied up her hair, and then all the way to the scrub sink where the chief was already washing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was only about three seconds of silence. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do we really have to go over this again?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you mean?” Korra asked and started to scrub, knowing full well what she meant. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She could feel steely eyes gaze at her for a moment. “Your head isn’t in the game, I can feel your nerves, kid. I won’t let you into my OR like this, you know that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m fine, it’s just nerve wracking.” She scrubbed her nails harder than usual, trying to shove down everything that was building. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is she your girlfriend, wife, or anything but a random night of sex?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra bit back her hot retort and sighed. “She’s the CEO of one of the world’s leading manufacturing companies. She’s essential to so much, she does so much. This isn’t just about me.” She knew Lin could taste that lie the second it came out of her mouth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Recite your oath,” Chief said and they both looked forward through the glass. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Recite your oath as a doctor, Korra.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra frowned, she hated when Lin did that, but she knew she wasn’t about to get out of it and sighed before taking a breath. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Now, as a new doctor, I solemnly promise that I will to the best of my ability serve humanity—caring for the sick, promoting good health, and alleviating pain and suffering.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I recognise that the practice of medicine is a privilege with which comes considerable responsibility and I will not abuse my position.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I will practise medicine with integrity, humility, honesty, and compassion—working with my fellow doctors and other colleagues to meet the needs of my patients.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I shall never intentionally do or administer anything to the overall harm of my patients.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I will not permit considerations of gender, race, religion, political affiliation, sexual orientation, nationality, or social standing to influence my duty of care.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I will oppose policies in breach of human rights and will not participate in them. I will strive to change laws that are contrary to my profession's ethics and will work towards a fairer distribution of health resources.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I will assist my patients to make informed decisions that coincide with their own values and beliefs and will uphold patient confidentiality.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I will recognise the limits of my knowledge and seek to maintain and increase my understanding and skills throughout my professional life. I will acknowledge and try to remedy my own mistakes and honestly assess and respond to those of others.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I will seek to promote the advancement of medical knowledge through teaching and research.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I make this declaration solemnly, freely, and upon my honor.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra felt a shiver go down her spine as she finished. It wasn’t often that Lin made her repeat her oath, but the feeling she got from it still hit her hard every time. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lin,” Korra tried but the water shut off and the Chief turned to her expectantly, and so she did. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I will not permit considerations of gender, race, religion, political affiliation, sexual orientation, nationality, or social standing to influence my duty of care,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Lin repeated. “It doesn’t matter if she is the CEO, the queen of the Earth Kingdom, or someone who was living on the streets. You are a doctor, Korra: your duty is to your patient and your patient only. What they do for the world has no say on how well you do your job, do you understand that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, Chief.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good. I chose </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be in here today because you are the best...and don’t tell anyone I said that or I’ll give you more clinic hours-“ Korra could see the smile in the chief’s eyes above her mask. “You might be the best, but Raava help me I will pull you quicker than you could say flameo if you don’t get your ass in gear. Now, can we go remove this tumor?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And this was why she loved Lin. “Yes, Chief!” She said proudly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s what I like to see. Now let’s go save your girlfriend’s life.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But, she’s not my-“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t care.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>_____</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Being patient had never exactly been her strong suit, and generally Korra never bothered to wait around and do the checkup when one of her patients finally woke up, but this was different. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami was different. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She told herself to calm down, that the few times her patient had woken up since the surgery she seemed alert and aware, but this time Asami would be nearly completely off all of the surgery drugs and this would be the test of whether they did a good job or not. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And Korra? Well, she was worried. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She trusted her and Lin’s ability to get the job done, they were one of the best Neuro teams that the world had seen, but her inherent cockiness was shattered when it came to looking at the sleeping, gauze-wrapped form next to her. What if they slipped? What if she had nicked a wrong nerve when cutting the tumor out? What if she cut too deep, or not deep enough? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>What if, what if, what if.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>She replayed the surgery over and over in her head, how the moment she walked through the doors of the OR and smelled that sterile, surgical smell, her body knew exactly what to do. She was trained for it, had worked her ass off to be in that OR, to be chosen by the chief of surgery to assist. Korra didn’t make mistakes. Korra didn’t ever cut too deep or not deep enough. Korra was chief resident, she was top of her class, she could have chosen any specialty she wanted...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But what if?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But also, they were really going to need to talk about...whatever it is they had found themselves doing lately. Korra was still a doctor on her team, and would be throughout Asami’s treatment, and after their kiss before the surgery there was just...so much in her head. She was absolutely smitten, and the more and more she was in even the same vicinity as Asami she just felt the air charged with...something. She was beyond attracted to her, but there was even more when they touched, and that kiss had confirmed it; it had been the hardest thing to do, to pull away like that. They were going to have to stop being so flirty, for her own sanity, or something bad might happen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A rustling of feet next to her snapped her out of whatever daze she had been in and Korra nearly leapt out of her chair. Asami was starting to wake up, her groggy eyes blinked open as if it was the hardest thing she could accomplish, and Korra wished that she didn’t have to be a doctor right now. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, Asami,” she said softly and stood up, “how are you feeling?” Green eyes squinted at her and she took in a tight breath, just waiting. “Asami, are you in pain or anything?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One, two, three heavy blinks. “Who are you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra could feel the color drain from her entire body until Asami’s lips started to curl up and a bright gleam spread across her face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry,” she rasped in that all-too-hot sleepy voice, “you were just so serious, I had to-“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You asshole!” Korra hissed and had to sit down to catch her breath. “I cut into your head, you can’t do that to me!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami hummed and closed her eyes again for a second. “Did it work, is everything out?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Korra replied tightly, “yeah it’s all out.” But the treatment is far from over, she didn’t say. Asami needed to rest and not worry. “I just have to check a few things and then you can just relax, alright?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You can do whatever you want to me, Doc,” Asami said lowly and Korra stopped dead in her tracks. For fucks sake, Asami. “You like that, don’t you?” She asked with somewhat glazed eyes and okay, shit, she’s still a bit drugged up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So just follow my finger, but don’t move your head,” Korra hurried on so those eyes would stop boring into her the way they were, but sadly at the moment, she literally had to look straight into them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well shit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She could see a little smirk from below her vision and Korra held her breath as she leaned over the bed and checked both eyes, happy to note that they were responsive and still breathtaking. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Shit</span>
  </em>
  <span>, you useless idiot, </span>
  <em>
    <span>do your job.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So what does ‘K’ stand for?” Asami asked and reached a lazy finger up to brush the embroidery on Korra’s coat, and she caught the hand quickly before the woman could get too frisky. “What’s your last name? In fact…” she continued and sat back with a curious look, “what are all of your last names? Is it a thing here to not go by your last name?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Leave it to Asami to be curious about the one thing she didn’t want to discuss. Not yet. “It’s just Korra, I don’t have a last name,” Korra replied with a practiced air and took the stethoscope from around her neck. “Breathe deep for me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Everyone has a last name,” Asami scoffed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m from the Southern Water Tribe,” Korra mumbled and listened to her lungs, “we don’t do last names.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe a hundred years ago they didn’t,” Asami argued and of course she wasn’t going to let this go. “I know plenty of people from both Tribes that have last names.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well just pretend I have one of those then,” Korra huffed and brushed her off. “Everything looks good, the nurse from oncology should be up here soon to get more blood from you for labs and to go over things before you start treatment, so just hang-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami groaned. “Do I get a break at all before I get lasers zapped into my head? I already had your knives.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra had to hold back her smile and shook her head. “First of all, you’re getting radiation blasted into your head, not lasers,” she let herself smile when Asami laughed at that, thankfully, “but also sadly, no. You will get a little bit of time to heal but other than that, your treatment has to start right away. I’m really sorry, Asami, but if we wait too long it could grow back. This was a very aggressive type-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aggressive type of tumor, yeah, I get it,” she cut in and laid back against the bed with a sigh. “You sure you don’t have a last name?” she tried again, a clear deflection of topic.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe I’ll tell you someday,” Korra smirked and hung her charts back up, “get some rest, I’ll be back to check in on you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She left the room and walked down the hall a little before leaning against the wall and letting out a deep sigh. Patients never got close to her, patients never asked questions and if they did, Korra had answers. Asami though? Asami was smart, and she would figure things out quickly, and it wasn’t even as if Korra had anything to hide, she didn’t even know why she was hesitant to have the woman find out who she was, but that was something she would deal with later. Hopefully much later. Until then, she had work to do.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>_____</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Asami was trying to keep her spirits up, she really was, but it was hard when things were kind of just shitty.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t even her treatment - and, well, that wasn’t particularly fun either - it was that for nearly three weeks now she had hardly seen Korra at all. The doctor had been there the week or two after her surgery nearly everyday, but then she had to go to some medical conference in Ba Sing Se and since then, it had just been shitty. She hated relying on someone so quickly to keep her entertained through all of this, but Asami was just bored. She usually had so much more to do and it was doctors orders to stop working and just relax.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami didn’t know how to relax.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Blue eyes and shiny brown hair were always such a welcome sight when Korra was able to sweep into the room and ask her how she was, but it was also just the stupid nature of her condition that Asami was hooked up to her port line for chemo and Korra was in scrubs and a coat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And oh Raava, those scrubs. She hated to see Korra go, but fuck if she didn’t love to watch her leave. She had such a nice ass, and Asami always had to take a deep breath and tell herself to stop being creepy each time, but whatever.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She really couldn’t complain too much, she was being well taken care of by everyone else on her - sometimes overwhelmingly large - team, and things weren’t really too bad. Her radiation therapy was twice a week, she got low dose chemo two other days, and things were going a lot more smoothly than she thought they would. It wasn’t to say that things wouldn’t get worse, her oncologist tended to remind her of that a bit more than she cared to hear it, but Asami loved Katara.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The old woman had taken her by surprise at first, looking a bit too frail and grandmotherly to be the head of oncology at such a major hospital, but within three seconds of talking to her Asami knew that she wouldn’t have had anyone else be her doctor. Katara may look old, but there was nothing stopping that woman from kicking anyone’s ass if they needed it. There was something, Asami was beginning to realize, about Water Tribe women that just struck her differently. They were this underlying, fierce power that just rippled beneath the surface, ready to take someone under. It was beautiful and almost daunting.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She loved it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then there was Opal, her spitfire nurse who also seemed so sweet and innocent on the outside, but once Asami broke through her shell, she found the tiny demon within. She almost hated leaving when Opal was working, the woman kept her laughing with stories from around the hospital that had her stomach aching from laughing so much, and something about it made her forget in those moments that she had her head drilled into, and that she had poison dripping into her body.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was something, really. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>On days when Opal wasn’t working, or when Katara didn’t need to check on her and didn’t have a story to tell, Asami tried to fit work in when no one was looking. Yes, her interim CEO was doing an excellent job, and she trusted her capabilities completely, but there was no way that Asami would be able to stay completely out of the workings of her company for the months during her treatment, and however longer after that she would need to feel human again. It just wasn’t in her nature to give up complete control like that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The thing that annoyed her the most was missing out on the interactions with her partners, investors, and the charities that she worked with. On the day to day, her endless meetings had frustrated Asami, but now that she didn’t have to be anywhere but in the room she was sitting in now, she missed having </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span> to do. She thumbed through her work emails on her phone, seeing if there was anything new she could work on secretly, and kept going back to a message from the Chief of the Southern Tribe General Hospital.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘No need to worry about missing our meeting, I can take care of that.’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami had to laugh at that and wondered exactly what the woman meant, but at this point she was just along for the ride anyway. The world didn’t need to know about her...condition, and frankly it wasn’t easy to try and keep everything from the media, but Asami’s PR team was top notch, and they were handling the situation well. Senna, however, was a powerful woman with an even more powerful husband, the pair of them both being Chiefs in their own right; not also to mention that Katara had known the woman since birth, and as such, Asami felt as though she could share the secret with her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Their intentions to meet and plan a deal for equipment had been foiled by her hasty surgery, but if Senna said not to worry well, then, Asami wasn’t going to worry. And why should she worry about anything when Korra had just walked into the room?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good morning, Asami,” she said with a smile and made a line straight for her charts as usual, “how are you feeling today?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s another day,” she replied with a shrug, just happy to have her here. “Hey, what do you know about Senna of the Southern-” she stopped when Korra nearly dropped the clipboard, “are you alright?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra coughed a little awkwardly and went to hang up the clipboard, “I’m fine, the board slipped. What were you asking?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A bit odd, but alright. “I was wondering if you knew anything about Senna, she’s the Chief of the Southern Tribe General Hospital. I figured being from the South and all, you’d know about her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra hummed, “I’ve met her before, it’s sort of impossible not to, being like you said, from the South. Why do you ask?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, FI had important arrangements with her,” she began, “we plan to donate a sleuth of medical equipment to their major hospital down there, but a lot of the meetings have had to be postponed due to my...absence. I’m a little hesitant when it comes to relinquishing control on matters like this and not that I don’t trust my interim, but I want to meet the chief and do the dealings myself.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra snickered a little, “when you say chief do you mean her or the Chief-chief?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why would I meet with Chief Tonraq for hospital matters?” Asami questioned, trying to keep her face trained neutral. “No disrespect to him, but I’m quite confident that Senna can deal with the matters on her own, she was one of the women who helped build that hospital from the tiny clinic to what it is now, as I’m sure you know-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Woah woah, I didn’t mean it like that,” Korra said with her hands up, “I’m just not used to people wanting to meet...never mind. She’s uhh-” Korra said and rubbed the back of her neck again and Asami let herself watch how her bicep filled up her coat. “She’s really nice, and a lot smaller than you would think.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So do you think she’ll comment on my height too?” Asami smirked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra groaned and rolled her eyes a bit, “you’re never going to let me live that down, are you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Probably not.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course,” Korra said with a sigh and looked at her for a moment. “Asami, I think we need to talk about...whatever it is we’re doing - the kiss before your surgery, me trying to stay impartial around you…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ahh, so it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>time</span>
  </em>
  <span> time, Asami figured that it would come eventually, but the dejected way Korra looked had her stomach flipping in the not so great way, and she wasn’t sure she was ready to face it yet. “Sure, yeah, we probably should.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Another sigh. “Look, it’s just that we-” but her sentence was cut short by her pager and Korra groaned as she looked at it. “9-11, I have to go, but we’ll talk about this another time!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She ran off before Asami could even say bye and she laid back against her chair. She didn’t know how to feel about that, because in reality, she knew that they would have to talk about all of this eventually, but being able to make Korra blush was one of the things that she looked forward to during her days at the hospital. Asami wasn’t dumb, she knew that the last person who needed to come check her “stats” every time she was here was the only person she wanted to see, but really. Korra was just this...beacon, this lighthouse in the dark that she hadn’t even known she was swimming in, and she wasn’t exactly ready to be ‘impartial’ yet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If things could be just a little different, that would be incredible.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>______</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Kooooorrra Korra Korra Korra!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Once was enough, Bolin,” Korra replied without even looking up from her binder, “I’m the only Korra that works here, I don’t think anyone would have been confused.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes I know but you won’t believe what happened!” She loved him, she really did, but Korra had just gotten out of a 9-hour surgery and wanted to finish her charting before going home. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m all ears,” she said anyway, because shooting down Bolin was like dumping cold water on a puppy, and she would never do that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He squealed and hugged her with so much force she felt things crack she didn’t even know could. “I asked Opal out and she said yes!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All her exhaustion was gone in a flash. “It’s about time! I swear I feel like I’ve been buttering up the cafeteria team for months now trying to get them to keep the cinnamon muffins in the rotation.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re the best, really,” he said and a binder slapped down next to them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Who’s the best?” Mako asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Me, now what happened?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bolin rubbed his hands together and looked around before lowering his voice. “Alright, you’re not going to believe this,” he repeated, “so it was raining outside just now when I was walking in, huge droplets like the sky had been unzipped and water was crashing from above as though a giant tsuna-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cut to the chase, Bo,” Mako sighed, “I’m tired.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Party pooper,” Bolin lamented quickly, “anyway, I was walking in and I see someone in a coat rummaging through their bag and curse under their breath - they had no umbrella. Well, I was a bit early for my shift because I was hoping to get some noodles before they were all gone - you know how I love my noodles - but my umbrella was large and she was small, so I tap her on the shoulder to offer help, and who else in the world could it be but the most gorgeous thing my eyes had ever seen.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It was her?” Korra asked, completely enthralled in his tale.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, it was Katara,” he said with a brilliant smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m going home,” Mako said, unphased, and walked away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But!” he continued, “Opal had seen from the entrance, had been just about to do the same thing, and so after I walked Katara to her car she was there waiting for me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra cooed, “you’re like a sappy romance novel, Bolin. So how did you ask her?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We just talked for a bit and she said it was getting late, so I suggested we get coffee sometime.” He brushed his shoulders off and practically preened. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“See,” she said, “that wasn’t so bad. It’s never as scary as you think it is.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He eyed her carefully, “so then why haven’t you talked to Asami yet about that kiss, huh?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A pit instantly formed in her stomach and Korra groaned at the entire thought of it. “I think that is a little bit different of a situation. The time just hasn’t been right, and I’ve been called away almost every time there has been a chance to and now things are sort of just...okay?” Which was mostly true, ever since she had brought up that they needed to talk, Korra had just seemed to be particularly busy and on some days wasn’t even given the chance to go read Asami’s charts for no other reason than just to be in the same room as her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was absolutely ridiculous.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bolin clapped her on the shoulder, “you know as well as I do that if you push away what you need to talk about, it will only get worse. From what I’ve heard about her, Asami seems to be a pretty mellow and understanding person, you should try and make the time to talk it out if she means that much to you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For as sweet and seemingly aloof Bo tended to be at most times, he actually offered great advice when it came down to it, and Korra stared after him as he walked away. Asami was mellow and understanding, she had been one of the most calm patients that Korra had ever dealt with before, but his last part made the back of her neck itch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘If she means that much to you-’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She wasn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>supposed</span>
  </em>
  <span> to mean that much to her, and Korra tried everyday not to think about all of the reasons and ways that Asami had invaded her mind, but it was hard. Her eyes, her smile, her laugh that she tried to ring as many out as she could in the short moments she was in her room. Asami just had this easy way about her, even when she was in pain and sore from treatment, and Korra always had to keep herself mentally in check to not just...stare. But how could she not? How could anyone not just stare in awe of the entire woman that was Asami Sato herself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But then again, so many people did. The news had gotten around quickly that Miss Sato herself was a patient at RC Gen and Korra had gotten endless - rather annoying - questions over it but she brushed them all off. A small little self-serving part of her had catalogued every smile, every look that Asami had given her, and that made her feel special. She felt specific, and that while anyone could look at Asami in awe, it was only to Korra that she looked back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She shouldn’t like that attention though, and that was the endless fight in her head, because at the end of the day, Korra’s oath had to remain true, and Asami was her patient, and she had to respect that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But fuck it was hard, and thinking about finally having to talk was hard too.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I saw something a while ago about how a writer was worried they were being too "tropey" with their stories and someone commented on how, as a reader, they once spent over 5 hours going down a trope tunnel and read everything they could about a certain topic so....it made me realize that sometimes I love a certain trope I get sucked into it too. As such, I am feeling very medical lately, and this is why I did it again. Was I a bit nervous? Mhmm. Did I end up caring? Nopeeee. </p>
<p>I hope you're all enjoying so far!!</p>
<p>Medical knowledge time!</p>
<p>Hydroxyzine - it's an antihistamine (allergy) medication but also an anti-anxiety med that people are given sometimes before surgery to make patients sleepy and, of course, less anxious.</p>
<p>Korra's oath - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1121898/   it's considered more of a declaration these days as oaths have religious connotations with them, but it is still beautiful nonetheless.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Asami closed her laptop and smiled as Opal knocked and walked in; finally she could get some relief from all of her work emails that she really wasn’t supposed to be reading.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good morning, Opal.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey trouble maker,” Opal said with a smile and hung up a new bag of fluids, “I see that laptop, you’re not supposed to be looking at a screen after radiation. Don’t make me tell Katara.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’d never,” she feigned. “I was just replying to Chief Senna again, she’s going to sneak in here later and drop off some paperwork for me to look over.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Opal gave her an exasperated look and sighed. “I heard and saw none of this, so don’t come crying to me when Katara lectures you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’ll be fine,” Asami brushed her off. “Now how’d the date with Bolin go? Tell me everything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her smile almost told the entire story. “He’s so sweet, and I thought the goofiness was a little weird in the beginning but I think he was just nervous. After dinner we went for a walk along the bay-” she listened to her and interacted when necessary, but somehow Asami got lost in wondering what it might be like to go on a date with Korra.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>To hold her hand as they walked along the bay, and which one of them might run towards the ice cream cart and buy cones first; would Korra kiss her with cold lips until they both warmed up, or would she laugh at a bit of chocolate that got stuck in Asami’s teeth? She knew she shouldn’t be thinking like this, but it was hard not to when Korra was just so…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Korra, hi,” Opal said and Asami snapped her head towards the door. She had been so lost in her musings that she hadn’t heard her knock.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good morning, I’m just here to check in on Asami,” she said and smiled so easily. Spirits, she was a sucker for that smile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course, I was just leaving,” Opal said and stood up to go.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey you’ll have to finish telling me about that date later.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you going to pay attention to it next time?” Opal asked and winked before she sauntered out the door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That little shit…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you want to hear about it, Bolin gave me the entire rundown...three times.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ouch,” Asami said and laughed when Korra nodded solemnly. It had been a while since it was just the two of them and she could feel her body lighten immediately. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Exactly, be glad that Opal is calm.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They’re so cute together though,” Asami mused. “Opal seems timid sometimes but she can be...fiery. They are both just gorgeous and-” she paused, “-in fact, I feel like everyone here is beyond attractive. Is it a part of the job description? Do you all put </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘exceedingly attractive’</span>
  </em>
  <span> on your resumes?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra just snorted a little. “No, it’s not a requirement, it’s probably just the fact that we have a substantial amount of family members that work together here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What? Who?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh boy,” Korra said and looked up in thought for a moment. “Well, Katara’s three kids - Bumi, Kya, and Tenzin - all work here, you’ve met them all separately. Tenzin is married to Pema, their oldest daughter is a surgical intern, all of their kids will probably end up here. Opal is Lin’s niece, and Kuvira is Opal’s adopted sister so I guess that doesn’t really count but she’s still pretty.” Korra counted to herself with a low mumble and continued, “Mako and Bolin are brother’s but clearly look nothing alike, and I think that’s most of who you’ve seen that are related.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Huh, that is quite a lot of people working together.” Something occurred to her that she had never bothered to ask yet. “Korra, what do your parents do? You’ve never brought them up before…” but then something else occurred to her in the short moment after she said that. Maybe if Korra hadn’t brought them up before then they might be in the same place that Asami’s were. “Actually, uhh, you don’t have to answer that if it’s too hard for you…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A flicker of something crossed her eyes before Korra tilted her head, and then dawning washed over her. “They aren’t dead, Asami,” she said with an awkward little laugh before rubbing the back of her neck. “My mom is a doctor and my dad is in...politics, but we can discuss that another day.” She paused and took a deep breath, which was never a good sign. “I was actually thinking that we should finally talk about that kiss and, well, everything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The light feeling she had since Korra walked in the room vanished again, and this wasn’t how she wanted to spend their time together, but Asami understood. It had been far too long and she knew they both had been avoiding it. “Yeah, you’re right. Korra I-” but a knock interrupted her and honestly, who the </span>
  <em>
    <span>fu</span>
  </em>
  <span>- “oh, good morning!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good morning, Miss Sato, I hope I’m not here too early,” Senna said and stood at the door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not at all,” she gestured for the woman to enter, “and please, call me Asami.” She looked over at Korra who seemed to be panicking, looking back and forth between her and the other Water Tribe woman, and she wondered if she would keep the secret of her visit like Opal would. “And this is one of my doctors, Dr. K., though she has mentioned you’ve met before.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Dr. K</span>
  </em>
  <span> and I go back a long way,” Senna said with a sweet smile. “Korra dear, you really need to answer your father’s calls, he worries about you.” She walked over and brushed fuzz off Korra’s coat. “Don’t forget about dinner tomorrow, if you fall asleep here again you’re going to miss your favorite.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wait, what?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What??</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Asami looked at Korra and Korra looked at Asami with huge eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Korra?” Senna said again and Korra blinked a few times before looking over to her mom. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Her mom.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Korra was the daughter of…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, mom, I remember. I-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And you never mentioned that Asami was your patient, honey. You knew that Future Industries was donating equipment to South Gen.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra rubbed the back of her neck and started to look pale. “I hadn’t gotten the chance to bring it up but-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Was this really happening? Korra was...Korra was… </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A princess...” Asami muttered and broke her off in amazement, “I slept with a princess.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The air seemed to freeze and now it was Asami’s turn to look at Korra with huge eyes. Did she really just say that?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You had </span>
  <em>
    <span>sex</span>
  </em>
  <span> with your </span>
  <em>
    <span>patient</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” Senna asked menacingly and eyed Korra with a practiced mom-glare.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I-no...we-” Korra tried and looked back and forth between them, “we...no - she…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wasn’t-” Asami tried and failed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Korra of the Southern Water Tribe, we will talk about this later, young lady,” she said with a final tone and Korra chewed the side of her lip and opened her mouth to argue before grunting and leaving. Asami and Senna watched her go before the woman turned back around and giggled. “It’s so fun getting her riled up sometimes.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wait, </span>
  <em>
    <span>what?</span>
  </em>
  <span> “Wait, what?” Asami echoed the thoughts from her head. “But, you-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Senna brushed her off with a wave of her hand. “As long as it wasn’t on hospital grounds I don’t care.” She paused and eyed her with that mom-glare and it scared Asami a bit, she hadn’t had that look pointed at her in a very long time. “Or was it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No ma’am!” she said quickly, “I wasn’t even her patient then, I promise. I had no idea that she was…” Senna held her gaze for a moment before throwing her head back and laughing, which was when Asami finally saw it, and she could just smack herself from being so unobservant. “I can’t believe I was so stupid...she looks just like you.” If she had given even a moment of thought to it, Asami would have seen earlier that Korra was the spitting image of her mom, just perhaps with more muscle.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mmmm, </span>
  <em>
    <span>her muscles</span>
  </em>
  <span>...but Asami shook her head out of it quickly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well thank you,” Senna said and pulled up a chair to sit, “most people think she’s more like her father but that’s probably because of the-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Muscles-” Asami said with her and they both nodded, “yeah. I apologize, I’m just a little shocked right now. She’s just avoided telling me this whole time and I have no idea why.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Senna crossed her arms and leaned back, looking incredibly like her daughter, and smiled. “Korra apparently has it in her head that either people will think she’s been handed everything in life because of who she was born to, or that if people know, she won’t be given anything in fear that others might think she was getting more than them. I don’t understand her reasoning, it sounds like a vicious positive feedback loop, but we respect her wishes.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s an interesting one, that’s for sure.” Asami said thoughtfully. “Oh spirits, you have to tell me some stories from her childhood!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright, but just a few,” Senna said with a pointed look, “you and I still have business matters to discuss.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes ma’am, of course.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright, so this one time when she was three and a half-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>______</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They never did get around to talking about business matters, Senna had too many great stories to share and before they knew it, Katara was coming in and kicking them both out, which was how Asami now found herself in the elevator up to Korra’s apartment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She had accepted Senna’s invitation to dinner automatically, and really hadn’t thought of any negative complications that could come from it until she was right in front of the door, but she was just along for the ride, right? She didn’t know exactly what she was walking into, but Senna had been so fun and refreshing that she wasn’t ready to let her go, she wanted to see more of her and the Southern family in general.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And mainly Korra, but she tried to tell herself otherwise. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was just something about them that pulled at her heart and even though she tried to avoid intimate relationships, Asami just couldn’t bring herself to stop this one. It was too good, it made her feel too good, and it was a feeling that she realized she had been needing for a long time. So when she knocked on that door and the burliest man she had ever seen opened the door, Asami just smiled and took in a deep breath of delicious smelling home cooked food. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Family.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ahh, Asami,” the Chief said brightly, “Senna said you would be here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami heard a clatter somewhere in the apartment and someone cursing under their breath, which was probably Korra, and she only wondered then if Senna had informed her daughter that she was invited over for dinner. Whoops.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come on in, dear!” he boomed and opened the door wide enough for her, “I am Korra’s dad, Tonraq. I’m so glad you could join us. She and Senna are finishing up dinner right now.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s very nice to mee-” Asami started to say until she heard galloping, scraping paws and turned just in time to see a giant fluff of white lunge at her and nearly knock her off her feet. “And you must be Naga,” she said with a huff and caught the enormous dog around her middle, “it’s nice to meet you too.” Naga’s tongue lolled out the side and she gave a happy bark before licking clean up Asami’s entire face. Well that was nice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, Raava,” said a voice and Asami turned to see Korra standing there. Fuck she looked good. “Naga, get off of her! Asami, I’m sorry...she sort of doesn’t have boundaries with new people and I didn’t know you were coming over or else I would have put her in my room or something and now she just licked your face and I don’t even know if you like dogs, you could be allergic,  and-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Korra, you’re rambling,” Asami said with a laugh and let go of the animal while Tonraq just snickered and left the two of them alone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, sorry,” Korra said and rubbed the back of her neck. It had been a while since Asami had seen her in such casual clothing and it was really doing something for her, which probably wasn’t the best thing seeing as how the woman’s parents were somewhere else in the apartment. “And sorry about Naga, really. I didn’t know-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami smiled into the pause, “hey, if you’re uncomfortable with me being here I completely understand. I didn’t even consider the thought of you not knowing that your mom invited me until I was already at the door.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What? No! That’s not what I meant, it’s just, we didn’t get to talk yesterday and-” she paused and scrunched her face for a beautiful second, “-it’s cool, I’m glad you’re here. Do you like seal stew?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t say I’ve ever had it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, you’re in for a treat then,” Korra said with a smile and cocked her head for Asami to follow. “My mom is the best cook, and it’s my favorite. It’s not really for everyone, so don’t feel bad if you don’t like it, we can totally cook you something else if you don’t and-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami put her hand on Korra’s arm to stop her rambling again and she could swear on every spirit out there that their skin sparked together at the touch. “Korra, relax. I’m sure it will be great.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra looked down at where they were touching and paused before nodding. “Right, you’re right,” she said. “And I’m sorry for not telling you who I was before this...I just, don’t always think it’s necessary for everyone to know, you know? It’s a hard topic to bring up, and I’m not special because of who I was born to…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami huffed out a laugh and tilted her head. “I get it, you have nothing to apologize for. We’re all pink and bloody on the inside, remember?” she winked and walked off before Korra could reply and smiled when she heard barking laughter behind her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That laugh really shouldn’t do the things to her that it did, but whatever. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dinner turned out to be fantastic, of course, both in taste and in conversation. The food was incredible, and Senna swore up and down that Korra did most of the work, which caused that wonderful pink to dust her cheeks that had Asami’s stomach swooping. Even though she was an outsider, the Southern family made her feel as though she was one of them instantly and it had felt as though she knew them all her life, and not just recently. It was so refreshing, and the number of times she caught Korra staring at her throughout the night had her stomach getting tighter and tighter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When had blue been able to catch her so easily?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That wasn’t to say that Korra hadn’t caught Asami staring as well, it definitely almost seemed to be turning into a game of who could catch who, and they were both rather surprised how quickly the parents were leaving after everyone cleaned up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, we should get going now, it’s getting late,” Senna said brightly as she put on her coat. “Come on, Ton, let’s leave these two to catch up and such.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tonraq looked at her curiously while she pushed him out of the door and Asami hardly had time to wave goodbye before the handle clicked shut. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not one for subtlety, is she?” Asami asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess not,” Korra huffed and leaned against the back of her couch. “She’s a pain in my ass, is what she is.” She rubbed her face in slight frustration before peaking an eye through split fingers. “If she made you uncomfortable, I’m sorry. I don’t really know what she was trying to accomplish here. I mean…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was just so damn cute when she was frustrated and Asami took a few steps toward her. “I’m not uncomfortable, Korra. Are you?” All those stolen glances through the night were flashing through her head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hands came down to brace the back of the couch and Asami watched as Korra swallowed heavily. “N-no, I’m not. Asami, I…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mhmm?” Asami hummed and stepped closer, living off how she could see the woman breathing faster. “Did you want me to give you some time to finish that sentence orrr…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you trying to do what I think you’re trying to do?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami stopped and lowered her voice, she really only had one go at this and if Korra said no, then so be it. “And what is it that you think I’m trying to do, Doc?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That,” Korra said with a tight voice. “I am trying to be good here and you keep doing </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> and make me want to-” she stopped and gripped the edge of the couch tighter and Asami could see her struggle. It was so cute.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you want to do, Korra?” she asked softer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t play dumb with me,” she grunted and closed her eyes for a second, “you know exactly what. But we can't, you're my...we can’t.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami looked around the room, “you currently aren’t a doctor, and I am currently not your patient. We can do whatever we want,” she said. “You can do whatever you want to me.” It was a dirty play, but she was in a mood.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Asami-” Korra tried, big blue eyes looking at her both with that needy look and almost...scared? Asami almost felt bad, almost.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m going to get a drink of water, and I’ll let you decide on that. If you’re still sitting here when I get back, I’ll take the message and leave, and we won’t bring this up again, alright?” She left without a reply and walked for the kitchen, hoping to hear those footsteps she had learned the pattern of, but couldn’t pick them up until her head was tilted back and she was drinking her small glass.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Thank the spirits.</span>
  </em>
  <span> She did not want to have to awkwardly leave after practically throwing herself at the woman. Asami put her glass down gently and turned to see Korra standing in the entrance of the kitchen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, doc,” she said, “is there something I can do for you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, you can stop fucking calling me doc in that voice,” Korra said before taking three steps and crashed their lips together. It made Asami hot instantly from her head to her toes and she grabbed onto firm biceps for dear life, which was honestly the best choice she had made all night, except perhaps egging this on in the first place. Arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer, Korra tilting her head slightly and kissed her gloriously deep and Asami moaned into it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And if I don’t?” she asked breathlessly when they parted for air and she swallowed thick when those blue eyes darkened. Korra just groaned before sliding her hands down and picked Asami up by her ass, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span>, she needed this.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You sure about this?” Korra asked with a tinge of concern and Asami really, really just wanted to laugh at her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, Korra. I’m sure.” Which was all that needed to be said and Korra was sucking on her neck while walking expertly through the apartment. Asami just held on for dear life, fisting her hands in the back of her hair to keep those incredible lips on her neck, and before she knew it she was being laid onto a bed and hands grabbed at her wrists to pull her off. “Wait, why?” she muttered indignantly until she saw Korra’s shirt come off in one easy motion and, oh, okay. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra in a sports bra was the best sight she had seen in quite some time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then seeing Korra kneeling between her legs and unbuttoning her pants was another incredible sight, one Asami really wanted to enjoy longer, but then she had to raise her hips so the offending article could be lost.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well aren’t we eager?” Asami said with a small gasp when lips grazed the inside of her knee. She was so sensitive already it was almost embarrassing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You did say I could do </span>
  <em>
    <span>whatever</span>
  </em>
  <span> I wanted, didn’t you?” Korra asked, slowly moving up the inside of Asami’s thigh. “And right now, I really feel like disproving what you said about there being nothing </span>
  <em>
    <span>top</span>
  </em>
  <span> about me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami threw her head back against the bed and laughed. “That really got to you, didn’t it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She lifted her head back up and Korra was sitting up on her knees now pouting, and Asami might have felt bad if she hadn’t looked so fucking cute while doing that. “Yes, it got to me!” She pouted again and mumbled something unintelligible but Asami could hear something about ‘pillow’ and tried not to laugh again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You have so much top energy, Korra,” she soothed and reached out a hand for the woman to take. “You are the toppiest of top that has ever graced this earth, you and all your muscles just scream-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh shut up,” Korra said and squeezed the sides of her waist, making Asami yelp. They both froze and looked at each other before a sickeningly devious smile spread across Korra’s face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t you dare,” Asami said a millisecond before hands squeezed her sides again and she was absolutely done for. “No!” she tried between laughing and trying to get Korra to stop tickling her but it wasn’t working, and honestly, her laughter was too delicious to try and stop it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Now be sincere this time or I’ll do it again,” Korra threatened with hands firm under Asami’s shirt. She didn’t know exactly when they had gotten there but their fizzling skin was incredibly welcomed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t care what you want to call yourself as long as you have my shirt and bra off in the next two seconds, how about that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Which, apparently, was the right sentence to say because all of a sudden her back was hitting the bed again, her shirt and bra were both flying across the room, and Korra had already sucked a nipple into her mouth.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck,” Asami gasped and arched into the touch, relishing in how she could feel Korra grind against the bed. She needed her, she needed her so bad, and Asami grabbed both sides of her face and pulled her up to have that mouth on her own. “I need you,” she whispered on hot lips and Korra’s hips dug into hers at the words.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Somehow it all felt so fast and slow at the same time, hips grinding down into her own, searching for any kind of pressure while Korra kissed the breath out of her. Time didn’t really have a construct then and everything felt so stretched but done at the perfect time, and when her panties were the last thing to be thrown haphazardly off the side of the bed, Asami was up on her elbows and ready for whatever would happen next.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But of course, Korra was looking at her naked body with that same gorgeous, reverent look she did the first time they slept together. She felt undeserving of such a look, but brushed off the feeling for now. She couldn’t think, not with hot hands running up her legs like that. They were so soft, so warm, just like the rest of Korra. She knew what that dark skin felt like against her own, those planes of well worked muscle looked so pretty, but felt even better, felt even softer when they were on hers. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So beautiful, Asami,” Korra said finally before bending down and running her tongue up slowly through her folds, trying to gain some traction with the wetness. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Broad, perfect strokes sent ripples through her body each time Korra’s tongue pressed over her clit and even if it wasn’t the pace she usually liked, Asami was still turning into a puddle with each flick. It probably had to do with the bright blue eyes that wouldn’t look away from her, but she couldn’t be bothered by that detail at the moment, not when two fingers decided to enter the mix.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can I?” Korra asked so gently and it was all she could do not to beg for them, so Asami just nodded and sucked in a shaky breath when she felt that stretch. It was so slow, and she could feel Korra drop her head onto her thigh and kiss as she pushed in. “Okay?” she asked when she was all the way in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“More than okay,” Asami answered easily and let out an embarrassing choked moan when fingers curled and Korra went back in with her tongue.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fuck.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finally, </span>
  <em>
    <span>finally</span>
  </em>
  <span> she started to speed up and match each drag of her fingers in and out with the perfect roll of her tongue and Asami grabbed the back of Korra’s head to keep her right there. She could feel the orgasm build, her entire body tensing, before one last press of tongue and her voice caught in her throat as everything snapped into a dense, white haze. Korra kept constant, light pressure on her clit while Asami practically convulsed, and spirits it was something. The ripples faded slowly and she looked down, blue eyes dark and heavy on her own, and Korra raised a brow before pushing against her clit again and </span>
  <em>
    <span>oh.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She wasn’t done.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami swallowed what she could in her dry throat as that hot mouth encircled her clit and Korra’s tongue rolled over her sensitive bud, instantly throwing her into another orgasm with the slightest bit of effort. She couldn’t contain the squeaky moan that fell from her lips as her entire body felt like it was free falling into bliss. Her ears were ringing and everything felt fuzzy, but she could definitely feel Korra kissing her way back up her body by the time she came out of her haze.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Holy shit,” Asami muttered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh yeah,” she nodded in agreement. “I needed that more than I realized I did, wow.” She caught her breath and swallowed before finally looking over at Korra. “Maybe there is a little something top about you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra rolled her eyes and lifted herself on top of Asami, “oh shut up already,” she said with a laugh. “Are you done though? Because I’d like to do that again...and again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami blinked and registered what she said for a second before nodding far too eagerly. “I am definitely not done, but also don't think that I don’t want to be returning the favor.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wouldn’t dream of it,” she said softly before capturing Asami’s lips again and holy shit...if she wasn’t careful, she might get addicted to the feeling of them on her own.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe she already was, who knows.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But then Korra was slipping her hand between them and running her fingers through wetness, and Asami didn’t have any room to think besides the feeling of them pushing into her again, feeling the proud smile against her mouth that swallowed her moan.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was so, so good.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Asami didn’t know what time it was when she woke up later, nor could she remember falling asleep, but the faint hall light coming through the door illuminated things enough to see that she and Korra were still incredibly naked and that yes, Korra still looked her most beautiful with sleepy, wild hair.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It made her stomach hurt at the sight.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So many feelings slammed into her at once and for some reason, Asami had to hold back a few tears. Something about it was everything she had always wanted, a lazy arm thrown over her stomach, a warm body next to hers to moderate her chilly temperature. Korra looked so serene, so young and carefree. She was perfect. Her hair was a little sweat slick still from their workout earlier and oh spirits, their workout. It was just as amazing and intense as their first time, even without toys brought into the mix, and the look of blue eyes between her legs while Asami rode Korra’s face would be ingrained into her head for far longer than she cared to admit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She looked down at what she could see of that naked skin, so brown and absolutely perfect. Not technically perfect, because she had plenty of light-skinned scars in random places, but Asami wanted to hear the stories about them. She wanted to kiss that soft cheek and curl up close to that warm body. She wanted to wake up hours from now with her face buried in Korra’s neck, wanted to make coffee while pancake batter was whisked up and ladled into a sizzling pan. She wanted to do the dishes and smack a soapy hand onto pajama shorts and kiss syrup off the corner of Korra’s mouth.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She wanted her, Asami wanted Korra, every bit of her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Which was why she had to leave.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She removed that heavy, warm arm from her stomach and rolled out of bed, using that soft light to find what she could of her clothes before getting dressed and taking one last look at the face she knew she would see again, and her stomach was roiling and screaming to climb back into bed as she opened the door and walked down the hall. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Naga’s fluffy white head perked up over the back of the couch and Asami stopped to give her a kiss. “Take care of her, okay, girl?” was all she could say with a choked voice before opening the door, locking the bottom lock at least, and walking out to the elevator.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Idiot. Idiot. Idiot.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Asami, baby....what are you doing?!?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>She wouldn’t exactly call it </span>
  <em>
    <span>avoiding,</span>
  </em>
  <span> but dodging room 323 of the oncology ward at all cost over the last week or so had become Korra’s specialty.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t that she was avoiding the discussion that she knew would have to happen, it was more that Korra was still just confused, and upset, and honestly a little mad about the series of events that lead to her waking up next to an empty pillow with not even so much as a note. Yet now she had to finally go do a workup on Asami since Lin was still stuck in surgery, the surgery that Korra had wanted to be in so she could distract herself again like she had been since that night.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The OR was her calm place, there was something about the clinking of metal and constant beeping that honed her into the sterile atmosphere around her. It was like a certain state of being that she found herself in once those gloves were slipped on and a scalpel was placed into her hand. Years and years of bitter work and dedication were put into every one of her moves, and if she made one tiny mistake, someone’s life could be on the line. For some people it was stressful and daunting - that power - but Korra thrived off of it. Humility came later in life for her, she knew that all too well, but a surgeon needed to be cocky, they needed to be in control of what they were capable of, and in that she excelled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The OR was where she could go to clear her head, usually, but now as she walked towards that door she knew Asami was behind, Korra knew that being in the OR right now would be the last place she needed to be. She couldn’t keep running from the issue that had been plaguing her brain, she knew that if she didn’t resolve it and let it fester, she would just go into a dark place, and she hated her dark place.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One deep breath and then she was knocking and walking into the room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Asami?” she said tightly and coughed a bit, nodding at the two women in the room. “And Opal, hi. I just need to come do a workup on you, the Chief got held up in surgery.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Opal smiled sweetly at her and eyed Asami quickly, who gave her a small nod. Something about it made Korra a little curious, but she figured that Opal had gotten all of the insight to what happened. It made her stomach flip and she hated it. She hated all of this.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll talk to you later, Opal,” Asami said and the nurse left, leaving just the two of them while Korra checked all of her charts and IV lines silently. She didn’t know how to start talking now that she was here, and didn’t want to just lay in on Asami while she was currently being treated. “Look, Korra, I know I messed up, and I had all these words planned out but now I just can’t think.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Oh, now she can’t think? Well, welcome to the club then. Korra had all these words planned out too but the second she saw those damn eyes everything was lost in her. She choked. “How are your pain levels lately? Have your headaches changed at all?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Korra-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Have you felt dizzy or any other nausea besides after your radiation therapy?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Korra please-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well your blood work looks steady still, so that’s good, but you’ll need to start being careful with your white blood count getting low and-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Spirits, Korra, I’m sorry, okay?” Asami finally said in exasperation, making her finally stop. “Can we talk about this...please? I’m sorry for what I did to you, and I feel like a complete asshole and now you can hardly even look at me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Alright, well that was true, it was hard to look at her and not be assaulted by all of her feelings. “Which part are you sorry for?” Korra asked flatly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Which part, Asami? The part where you accepted an invitation to dinner, where you got my parents to love you, and made eyes at me all night? Was it the part where you so easily broke down my walls?” Now that she started she couldn’t stop, “or are you sorry how you played me and then just...left? You used me and walked away without anything, not even a note…” she hadn’t expected to let it all out like that, and she hadn’t expected it to hurt so damn much.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t mean it like that, Korra,” Asami said in a hurt voice, which pulled at her chest. “Please believe me when I say that it was not my intention to use you for anything. It wasn’t even my intention to sleep with you when I came over, it just...happened.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It happened,” Korra repeated and furrowed her eyebrows, swallowing the anger that had resided in her since she woke up alone that morning. “It </span>
  <em>
    <span>happened?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Asami, it wasn’t like your clothes just flew off and I fell between your legs, there was plenty of time to make a different decision! And I know I’m not innocent either, I let it happen too, but If I had known that it would wind up like this-” she took a deep breath and clenched her fists to stay relaxed. “I tried to push off talking about it because I needed time to calm down and understand why this all happened, but I still can’t. If you’re just playing games with me then can you please stop? The kiss before your surgery, all the flirting, and now this? I just...that isn’t who I am, and I can’t be just some pet you use.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A soft squeak made her look up finally and she hated it, she hated the pain in those eyes, but they echoed the pain in her chest. “I’m not trying to use you, Korra, I swear. I don’t know how to get you to believe it but that isn’t what I wanted to do-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then what did you want?” Korra asked. “If you weren’t just looking for a body to use then what else is there?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I-” she started but paused, “I don’t know.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They stared at each other for a few seconds and something just felt off to Korra. “You don’t know? You’re telling me that after all of this, and I know I’m not crazy...that you just don’t know? You just...left, Asami. You don’t just leave when you know that we’re going to see each other again.” She looked sad, so so sad. If she looked so sad, then why did she not know what she wanted? Unless…the kiss, the flirting, the incredible sex - Korra felt the words fall from her mouth before she could even register their outcome. “Look, I’m just going to say it, but I really like you and I think we’re meant to be together.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...Korra-” oh no, no no no.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And I think you like me too, but there’s something stopping you from wanting to be with me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami sighed and it churned her stomach. “I just had a tumor cut out of my brain, and I am getting a bunch of shit dripped and lasered into my body so it doesn’t come back, Korra. It just...isn’t a great time right now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She wasn’t going to correct her about the laser again but Korra tried to argue. “Well there is always after, you know?” She hadn’t felt this small in a long time. “When you’re better and not my patient, we could try then.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wish it was as easy as that,” Asami said softly, “but there’s just so much unknown. I really am so sorry for doing this to you, but I just can’t promise you something that I might not be able to give, you know? I can’t - I can’t deal with that sort of pressure right now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay,” Korra said with a nod, “okay, yeah, that makes sense.” This hurt like a fucking bitch, and did not at all go the way she expected it to, but does it ever? She really needed to make a quick getaway. “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable, and from now on out I will act accordingly as a doctor on your team. If there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to use the nurse’s button.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It felt a little dramatic to hang up her chart and leave the room with only a nod, but if Korra had stayed any longer she didn’t really know how she would react. Walking quickly and as covertly as she could, the first open on-call room became her refuge to cry in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Why did she have to go and be stupid and catch feelings for the beautiful girl with the tumor in her head?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Idiot. Idiot. Idiot.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>______</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s eating at you, kiddo?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra scoffed and scrubbed the plate with a little more force than she usually did. “I don’t know what you mean.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh please,” her dad said and elbowed her ribs lovingly, “I haven’t seen you this melodramatic since you were a teenager. Is it that Mako boy again? Do I need to go have a talk with him?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra nearly dropped the plate when she turned towards him. “What?! Dad, no-” she said and finished up the last dish, “it’s not Mako, we broke up years ago, and I am not being melodramatic.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah you are,” her mom said from around the corner, and Korra threw her hands up in frustration.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m fine!” Her voice changed way too many octaves for her liking and Korra huffed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yeah,” her dad huffed back and crossed his arms, “that’s exactly what everyone else who is, in fact, not fine say.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s nothing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It's never nothing when our daughter is upset,” her mom joined in finally and crossed her arms as well, “is it Asami?” And clearly, her lack of reply was enough. “Honey, what happened?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Asami?” her dad asked and looked between them with confusion, “where does Asami fit into this?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh Tonraq,” her mom said sweetly and patted his arm but turned back to Korra. “I thought things were going good, you two couldn’t keep your eyes of each other at dinner that night and-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait, you’re dating Asami?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, dad,” Korra said with a sigh and rubbed her hands over her face. She knew she would have to tell them eventually so she might as well just say it and get some potential advice. “I like her, a lot, and I’m pretty sure she likes me too, but when I confessed and asked her if we could be together she said no. I thought it was because she’s my patient and all, but then she said that she didn’t want to make any promises she couldn’t keep, or something like that…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And when was that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“About a week after family dinner.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And since then?” her mother continued and Korra grunted and threw her hands into the air in frustration again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s the thing!” she said. “Things are fine between us, and I wouldn't say we're friends but we talk like normal, so it isn't awkward...but I still see her look at me differently, you know? It’s like she almost regrets it, but I’m too afraid to bring it up and get rejected again.” The pain the first time had been plenty enough, and she didn’t have a whole lot of tail left to stick between her legs and run away with anymore.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, for starters you know that you can’t have that sort of relationship while she’s your patient-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes I know,” Korra said quickly, “and it wasn’t so great of you to just run out on us that night and perpetuate it.” Her voice rose again. “You’re a bad influence!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her mom raised her hands in defence. “Hey, I never said you had to do anything while she was under treatment, just that maybe you could get something started. You have a clear enough head these days that I imagine you could remain impartial. Besides, you are only on her team still for formalities, I doubt she will need any sort of extensive surgery again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“First of all, don’t jinx it, but second...this still doesn’t really answer what I should do.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There’s nothing you can do, my love,” her dad chimed and patted her shoulder. “You can’t force someone to make a decision they’re not ready to make or don’t want to make. Now I don’t know too much about medicine or whatever it is you’re doing, but I do know that Asami doesn’t have anyone to be there for her right now, so you should focus on being supportive for her and her needs.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How do you know she doesn't have anyone?” Korra asked. Not that it wasn’t unknown that Asami had lost both parents, but she’s still human. “She’s a business mogul, she’s bound to have friends.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You would be surprised,” he tutted. “The world of business, and especially with how major a corporation FI is, is very cutthroat and self-serving. It is hard to find people you can trust when you are put into positions of power when you least expect to be.” They tried to keep politics out of family dinner as much as possible, but sometimes it had to happen, and they way her father spoke with such knowledge hurt to her bones. “Why do you think I was so happy when you didn’t want to follow in my footsteps? The world of business and politics can be cruel and cold; be there for her right now in the way she needs you to be.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She thought back to that first day Asami was in the hospital and Korra asked if she could call anyone, and the look of defeat in those green eyes when she said she had no one. Korra hadn’t expected her to really mean it, maybe that she just had some sort of self preservation thing, but it was the truth. She didn’t have anyone close enough, someone that felt like family, and it made Korra’s heart ache for her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re right,” she said softly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What was that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mom,” she groaned and rolled her eyes, “not now. You know what I mean. I just feel like a jackass now for only worrying about myself, you know? Here I have a family and community but she’s in there getting her head cut open, and all I thought about was why she didn’t want me! I’m horrible.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re not horrible, sweetheart, you’re human.” Her dad wrapped her in a bear hug and ruffled her hair, for which she pushed him away and punched his bicep lovingly. “You have come such a long way from when you were a teenager, and it’s okay to make mistakes, because that’s how we learn. Perspective is everything when it comes to tricky situations with feelings, so maybe just take a step back sometimes and think of what it’s like from someone else’s point of view.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I love you guys,” was all Korra could say and brought them both in for a family hug. She tried not to think of when the last time Asami got a family hug was, but Korra made a promise to herself right then and there that she would do whatever it took to make her patient, her friend, comfortable and happy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>_____</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Bolin, I need you to entertain me for a few hours.” She was thankful that he finally had clocked in and rushed him before he was even at the nurses station. “How are things going with Opal?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shh!” he hissed and looked around. “We’re trying to keep things on the downlow. She doesn’t want her aunt finding out and killing her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra rolled her eyes. “Lin couldn’t give two shits about that, Bo, you know that.” She leaned further over the desk between them, “soooo?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sheesh, slow day or something?” he huffed and Mako walked up behind him and smacked the back of his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know never to say that, Bolin!” He looked at the rather empty surgery board and sighed. “You’re going to jinx my day to relax now, I needed to study for boards.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra nudged him and laughed, “don’t worry Mako, they don’t need many emergency plastic surgeries at this time of the morning.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Plastics is a great specialty!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So why do you need to be entertained?” Bolin asked, ignoring Mako’s grumpy musings completely. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Because I’m bored, and I need something to fill the time until Asami has her appointment later.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oooo,” Bolin cooed, “how is that going?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not like you think,” she said resolutely, “I just have a plan where I am going to make sure that she is never bored or uncomfortable, so until then I needed things to distract me.” She had definitely left out the part where she and Asami had slept together again, the boys didn’t need to know that, nor did they need to know about her existential meltdown from it. “I actually need help from the two of you, to go and check in on her if I’m not available or something.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t you have boards to study for?” Mako asked, “yours are a few weeks before mine.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not worried about those,” she brushed him off with a wave. “You don’t need to hang out with her or make it awkward, but if I’m called into a surgery or something I need you to take my place so she’s not alone while getting her chemo.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ve got it bad,” Bolin said with big, gooey eyes. “But I’m definitely in; an excuse to go up to Onco? Sign me up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mako?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She loved his grumble, she really did. “Fine, but you have to help me study as payback.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes!” she said and clapped her hands together. “You’ll regret studying with me, but it’s a deal.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, I remember how you study,” Mako said with a groan, “but I can’t deny your results.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Exactly,” she said and pointed at him, “so she gets radiation monday and wednesday at 10:30 and then her chemo today is at - oh damn it…” her pager went off and Korra looked down at the bearer of bad news. “Got a trauma, gotta go. Thanks for jinxing it, Bolin!” she said with a glare before running off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>911’s were her least favorite calls to go to, because it wasn’t often that she was able to be completely prepared for what awaited her in that OR, but that was just one of the parts of being a surgeon. She always had to be ready for the unexpected, for the good or bad, and she always had to be ready to give her all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It sucked when giving her all took just a little piece of her, too.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>_____</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Naps were a new thing to Asami, or at least the frequency in which she was beginning to take them. Often during her years in undergrad or when she first took over the company she would be so involved in a project that she forgot about time and space for a bit, and would wake up hours later covered in metal or pen markings, but that was years ago.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now she was just nauseous, tired, and pretty damn weak. Naps were just sort of something she did to pass the time, because there wasn’t much else to do, really. Especially while just sitting there getting her treatments and such, which was how she found herself slowly waking up with a crooked neck in a dimly lit room, not noticing the other body in there until her eyes adjusted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Korra?” she asked groggily before noticing that the woman’s eyes were closed and she looked </span>
  <em>
    <span>tired</span>
  </em>
  <span>, more tired than Asami had ever seen her. Mako had been in earlier to check her charts, Korra had apparently been called into an emergency surgery so he took over rounds for her. She sat back against her chair and smiled, she would give Korra however long she needed to sleep here, and honestly it gave her time to look her doctor over without those blue eyes staring into her soul.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It had been a shitty time since they slept together, and the guilt that had eaten away at Asami really made her sick some days, or perhaps it was her treatment starting to set in, but whichever way, she felt like a terrible person. Korra was just so good, so happy and sweet, she deserved someone who could give her it all, and at the present time, that wasn’t something Asami could do. Not that she didn’t want to, even with how little they knew each other Asami wanted nothing more than to realign the planets if Korra asked for it, but it just couldn’t be. Not now, and she couldn’t bear to promise that when this was all done they could try.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What if something went wrong during her treatment?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now Asami knew that she was lucky when it came to her tumor, and that the radiation and chemotherapy were a precaution to just kill any remaining cancer cells, but still. Anything could go wrong at any time, and Korra didn’t deserve to have to wait for someone like that. She was perfect, she could find someone out there who could give her it all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Or what if...what if Asami did agree to try once her treatment was over, but then Korra didn’t want to anymore? She could handle rejection, the business world had molded her into that nicely, but coming from that gorgeous sight, so sound asleep in her chair right now? Well, that might just break Asami’s heart.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So no, right now, she couldn’t let those thoughts permeate her mind, not really. Thankfully after they had their talk about what happened, Korra seemed to take things easier and when she did come to check up on Asami it was always just so nice and easy, and sometimes she forgot she was a patient and that her side effects were getting worse. She had some suspicions that Korra was having people come and check in on her more so she wasn’t bored; Opal came around more often than usual, Mako earlier, and Katara seemed to have endless stories these days (she loved those the most). It really was nice, and just another little thing that made Korra just so amazing, among endless other things.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami sighed, why was this such a ridiculous situation? Why couldn’t they just have met in college or something and it would be history from there…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Looking at Korra now though, Asami realized that she didn’t actually know a whole hell of a lot about her personal life. Sure she went to college, she was a doctor and all, but when? Where? The most personal things she knew were that Korra had a dog named Naga and that she was the daughter of two chiefs, which was a rather shocking revelation. Other than that, she didn’t know too much, and it gave her conflicting feelings. Does she ask personal questions? Or would that be pushing it when it came down to their doctor-patient relationship? But then again, she was just curious, and Asami was sure that other patients get curious when it comes to the doctors on their team.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The fact that Asami only really wanted to know about Korra didn’t need to be said, though.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra started to stir a bit and Asami panicked a little at how she needed to go about this, but when she saw bloodshot eyes open slowly her entire body sank. What happened?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hi there,” she said softly and Korra looked lost for a second, “have a good nap?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Asami,” Korra said in a groggy voice and ohhhh Raava, that was a bit too much for her right now. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep, I was just-” but Korra couldn’t finish her sentence and it got her worried.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you alright?” she asked, basically knowing the answer already. She could almost feel the woman’s turmoil in the air. “Do you want to talk about it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra’s cheeks puffed up and she blew a slow breath out before leaning against her chair. “I lost a patient today,” she said and Asami blew out a slow breath as well. “It happens, more than I care to admit or allow, but it does happen. She just came in for a headache, you know? It turned out to be an aneurysm that burst, and we couldn’t save her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, Korra…” she wished that she could just wrap her up in a hug and console her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She nodded, “yeah, I know. Some hit me more than others, and this one just hurt a lot. I had to tell her husband and son that we did all that we could, and I just never know if they believe me or not, and now they have to go through life without her?” The way her voice broke squeezed at her heart. “It’s unfair...it’s so fucking unfair.” Korra balled her fists and leaned her head against them. Asami was silent for a bit, letting the pain in the air settle over her before speaking.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s terrible on both ends,” Asami said finally, and Korra looked up at her with curiosity. “When my mom died, the doctors told us the same thing, </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘we did everything we could.’</span>
  </em>
  <span> As a little kid I believed them, they were in a position of power and we are always told to trust them, and it wasn’t until I was an angsty teen without my mom that I started to think of how disingenuous they sounded.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Angsty teen, huh?” Korra said with a small smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, but that’s a story for another time, I’m trying to make a point here.” Korra raised up her hands in invitation to continue. “I don’t think I paid much attention to what the doctors said when my dad died, since there was far more on my plate then at 23 than when I was 7, but I digress. I guess my point is, is that I didn’t realize how much you all go through everyday compared to what patients and their families do, you know? You became a doctor to help people, and it often happens that you cannot fulfill that duty, and it clearly affects you. Maybe it won’t be that important coming from me, but I see all of the hard work you do here, all of you, and I believe you when you say you tried your best. If only they could see how you break down when they aren't looking, then they would know, but doctors aren’t allowed to show that and it hurts. It’s okay to hurt, Korra, and it’s okay to hurt for the people you couldn’t save. When it comes to it, it will make that next success even sweeter.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It looked like tears were welling in those blue eyes again, but this time they came with a smile, and Korra wiped them away quickly. “Thank you, Asami, that really meant a lot. I’m sorry I dumped all of this out on you like this…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nah, it’s fine, I have nowhere else to be,” she joked and pointed at her IV.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra huffed and leaned back in her chair. “Sounds like the perfect time to tell me about you being an angsty teen then.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami rolled her eyes but she caved so easily to that damn smirk. “Okay fine,” and she had to laugh when Korra smiled brilliantly. “It really isn’t even that special of a story, mainly just me being alt-grunge, wearing far too much makeup, and cutting all my hair off at one point.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No!” Korra said in astonishment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh most definitely,” Asami nodded with a laugh, “and that’s where I picked up my proclivity for motorcycles as well.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright, start with the grunge and hair.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami smiled, “I have a picture, want to see?” Korra nearly jumped out of her chair in excitement and she was happy to see her somewhat back to normal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes!!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Knew that would get you,” Asami said and scrolled through her phone. She always kept a few pictures to remind herself never to wear those clothes again. She clutched her phone to her chest, “this stays between you and me, you tell no one of what you saw or I’ll have my lawyers hunt you down.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cross my heart and hope to die,” she said seriously and bounced slightly on the balls of her feet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay,” she took a deep breath and gave Korra her phone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh yeah.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This isn’t…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh I guarantee it is.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sending this to myself.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What? “Korra, no!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Korra yes! Are you kidding?!” Asami wasn’t quick enough and Korra turned away with her phone and started to type her number in, not mentioning anything when her name popped up as already a contact.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey! My lawyers will hunt you down!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra let out a bark of a laugh and kept going. “I’m the daughter of the chief, I have diplomatic immunity.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well, shit. “You asshole.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aaaand, done.” Korra said with a smile and gave her her phone back. “Whenever I’m having a bad day I will look at that and know that I never went as far into grunge as you did.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I just really liked Soundgarden, okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You had frosted tips! And a nose ring!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I could probably get your dad to remove your immunity, you know.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra ignored her. “I bet you still have that flannel too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami paused for too long and Korra burst out laughing. “It’s comfy, okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And the ripped jeans we could probably both fit in?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I regret everything,” she said without any regrets. Going through phases was a part of life and honestly, she would do it all over again if Korra kept smiling the way she was. That was worth every diary entry of being dramatic over girls she had written.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra wiped a tear away from her eye once she was done laughing and Asami rolled her eyes at her. “Ahh, that was good, I needed that. Now how did that all tie into you racing motorcycles?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, I was in a gang…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They both stared at each other, Korra in astonishment and Asami in question. Would she be believed? But then Korra cracked and started laughing, so Asami had to laugh too and soon enough they were both nearly bending over with how hard they were laughing and it felt so good…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Until it didn’t. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami knew it was coming and she looked around in panic for the pan and Korra noticed immediately, grabbing it quickly and handed it to her just in time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shit, I’m sorry,” Korra said and rubbed her back through her heaving and Asami just really, really wanted to die right then and there. She would show Korra every bad grunge photo from her teens years if she never had to show her this part of things. “Are you alright?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m okay,” she said once everything was finished. “I’m sorry you had to see that, I really wish you didn’t.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra chuckled and hurried it away from her. “I am a doctor, don’t forget. I have seen way worse than this.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That didn’t make it any better, she thought, but was suddenly too tired to argue. “Still…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra hummed and picked up her charts, seemingly ending their sweet little reprieve from the world they had found themselves in during those few minutes. She was reminded as those blue eyes changed and squinted at her paper that they weren’t friends, or anything else, and that she was first and foremost Korra’s patient, and that hurt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your nausea has been getting worse?” Korra asked and flipped through the clipboard again before setting it down and pulling her chair up closer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A bit, yeah,” Asami said meekly, “but do we have to talk about that? I want to hear about your teen years.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There isn’t much to tell, really,” Korra said with a wave and sat down, but Asami wasn’t having it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh come on, you have my all-time worst photo, I need something.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra tilted her head slightly and eyed her for a second. “I was a total shithead, if I’m being completely honest. I thought my shit didn’t stink; I was the daughter of the chief, my mom was a badass surgeon, I was the biggest jock you had ever met…” she paused and Asami’s heart sank a little, she could feel the ‘but’ coming, and she regretted pushing it… “-but then I was in an accident when I was 15 and that was pretty much the end of my teen years.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If Asami could be thankful for something, she was thankful that Korra didn’t sound sad about it, but there was more of an accepted reality about the situation. “So when you said being in a wheelchair isn’t comfortable…?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra laughed, “I knew you would remember that, but yeah, I was in a wheelchair for a bit. It took me about six months to be able to even stand on my own, and then the physical therapy was just torture. I hated every minute of it, and I was so mad that it took me away from what I thought was my dream - to be some professional athlete of some sort - but now that I’m here I am so thankful. I can’t imagine what a cocky, egotistical asshole I would be if I had gotten to live the way I had been, really. It’s something I try not to think about, and it’s so far in the past that it’s hard to remember that Korra. She was from a different world, I’m sure of it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sounds like we were both misfits that came from privilege and needed something to humble us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah pretty much,” Korra said with a soft smile, “and once I was able to stand again I just...threw myself into things, you know? I had pretty much finished my primary education by then - with all the private tutors and such - so I started doing everything I could to get better and start college. It was rough, and I don’t even know how I did it, but I’m here now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And I’m glad for that, I really am.” There was a moment where they just looked at each other, and Asami was about to ask more questions if she was up for them, but then Korra’s damn pager went off. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Damn, I have to go,” she said and stood up. “Oh, and thank you, really, for everything today. I hadn’t meant to fall asleep earlier and stuff but it was just a rough time and you were asleep and I didn’t want to wake you up and then all of those things you said were really nice and-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Korra, hush. You’re welcome.” The woman would ramble on forever if Asami didn’t stop her, and as much as she would love to listen all day, that pager meant she had other things to do. Korra whispered another thank you before hurrying out of the door, and she hated watching her go, but understood.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were both busy, it was just the nature of the businesses they were both in, and she sighed. There wasn’t that much time left in her chemo today, and then she would have all weekend to catch up on work that she had missed out over the last few days, but Asami was getting restless. It was one thing to be able to work virtually now that she had healed from surgery, but she missed going into the office and flipping through papers, or going into the workshop and rolling up her sleeves to get dirty.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Asami?” came with a knock at her door and Opal walked in. “Hey, Dr. K ran out of here and told me to get more bloodwork from you since you threw up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course she did,” Asami grumbled and held out her arm. It wasn’t an inconvenience, since her IV port was easily accessible, but for fucks sake, she wondered if she would have any blood left after this.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s all part of the process,” she said sweetly and Asami went to roll her eyes before noticing a mark on Opal’s neck.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Process my ass, what is that?!” she pointed with her eyes and Opal blushed before covering it up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You hush,” she tried pulling at her coat but it wasn’t working too well and Asami giggled menacingly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tell me everything, hurry.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aren’t I supposed to be sucking blood out of you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay then tell me everything after,” Asami rushed her. “I didn’t think sweet boy Bolin had it in him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh you wouldn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>believe</span>
  </em>
  <span> what he has in him,” Opal said with a smirk and Asami wanted to squeal. She felt like a teen again, and funny how much today brought her back, but this would be a good distraction for now. “Alright so we went to dinner at Feng’s-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Well, they're trying.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“I’m going to fail,” Mako groaned and laid upside down on her couch, which was a terrible idea since Naga took that as an invitation to lick his entire face. “Ahh, get off, beast!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aww, she just likes you,” Korra said as she handed him her special ‘study tea’ and pet her perfect girl. “Also you’re not going to fail, my methods are infallible.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It helps that you have a nearly photographic memory,” he said and sat up, “not all of us were gifted such a thing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra shrugged. “Mako chill, you are absolutely brilliant and don’t need a photographic memory to get you through this. The boards are just set up to fuck with your brain and freak you out anyway, you just need to take a breath and look at each scenario through every angle. Quickly.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re right,” he said with a nod and sipped at his tea. “So you’re ready for them then? Only a few weeks left.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was born ready,” she said and he eyed her steadily, which she hated. It had been years since they broke up, but somehow he had always been able to read her. “What?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s going on with you? You’ve been off lately. Has the chief been on your ass or something?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, it’s not that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh,” he said, and she sighed at it, “it’s Asami.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course it’s Asami!” she said and groaned. “Her WBC is dropping by the damn day, her nausea is getting ridiculous, and she just looks so frail! I hate seeing my patients like that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He eyed her again and sipped at his tea once more, and she really just wanted to smack it out of his hands. “Nah, that’s not it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you mean? I saw her labs today she’s-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“In perfect limits for someone who is going through her levels of radiation and chemotherapy,” he said flatly, cutting her off. “It’s scary for sure, but you and I have dealt with way worse patients than her without a blink. She’s probably the healthiest person in Oncology, and you know that, so that’s not it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine,” Korra huffed, “but her WBC is really low, just so you know,” and he just blinked at her. “I just like her a lot, okay? It’s been really hard trying to keep impartial during this whole thing and not jumping the gun like you know I'm prone to do.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Understatement…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shut up,” she said with a smile. “It’s been months now and her treatment is close to being up, and I guess I’m just worried about where it’s going to go after this, you know? She didn’t want to make me any promises of being together once she was done but I swear that we just have this spark, you know? I don’t want to bring it up and get rejected again, but I think she wants it too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So then keep being who you are,” he said easily.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra looked at him for a few seconds. “You are the worst person ever to come to for advice, you know that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Korra, if being exactly who you are has gotten you this far, then it sounds like that’s all you really need to do, you know?” He set down his mug and turned towards her. “You are an incredible person, and you haven’t forced anything on her, yet she always seems to smile the brightest when you’re in the room. Maybe she is just scared of letting you in for some reason, or is afraid that if you two do anything that she could get you in trouble.” He paused and grabbed his chin in thought, “or maybe she just doesn’t like you and is being nice.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra leaned over and punched his arm for good measure. “You jerk, you were doing so well too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey!” he said and rubbed his arm, “I can’t stroke your ego too much. But really, you’re my best friend and I love you, so all I’m saying is just be who you are. She would be an idiot not to fall for you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks Mako, I guess you were alright to come to after all.” She loved him, she really did, and they had thankfully gotten over the awkwardness of their breakup long enough ago to be solid friends, and it really was what she needed. They didn’t work as a couple, but she and Mako had the strongest friendship she had known and she was glad that he would always be there for her when she needed. “Alright, now let’s get back to studying; what do you do for a strangulated femoral hernia?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>_____</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Asami had a whole list of nice and encouraging things planned out to say to Korra that afternoon, but it all fell flat when Mako knocked on her door and walked in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, Asami. Korra got called into-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Emergency surgery, I’m guessing?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yep,” he said with a resolute pop on the ‘p.’ “She is going to have to leave straight from the OR to her flight later, so she gave me a list of things to tell you to do while she was gone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami furrowed her eyebrows and Mako just raised his hands in surrender. “Isn’t she going to be gone for less than a week?” Asami asked. “She acts like she’s going off to war, and forgets that she isn’t the only doctor on my team to take care of me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m just doing what I’m told,” Mako said, “it’s easier than having to listen to her talk my ear off if I don’t, so here I am. I know I’m not who you want to see, but-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh hush, Mako, you’re nice too.” He really was. He wasn’t Korra, of course, but Mako was surprisingly fun and had some incredibly dry humor sometimes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uhh, right, whatever you say,” he mumbled and coughed just a bit. So adorable. “How are you feeling? How’s the nausea? Do you need more blankets?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m doing alright,” she said and adjusted her beanie. She hadn’t lost much hair, thankfully, but she had lost so much muscle and everything from the medication and being inactive that she was in a near constant state of freezing to death. “If you have some time, I’d love some company?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looked at her for a second before shrugging and sitting down. “Yeah why not, I don’t have any special emergency surgeries to run off to.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Still haven’t decided on a specialty yet?” she asked and he huffed. Asami had gotten tidbits here and there from when Mako came to check on her, and apparently it was some big thing that he hadn’t decided on a focus yet, which didn’t make too much sense to her but that was okay.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m just pretty torn, I think. It’s scary to choose, you know? What if I do go for plastics and end up hating it? Then that’s just years wasted and I’m stuck in it forever.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But are you?” she asked and he looked up from his balled fists to her. “If you start a fellowship in plastics, are you really stuck there forever, or can you try out a different specialty?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, no,” he said and bit the side of his cheek in thought, “technically I’m not stuck, but then that’s just a few more years I’m wasting and not making money. People would be surprised at how little residents make, and the loans I have to pay back are…” he blew a deep breath out and Asami nodded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know this probably doesn’t sound great coming from me, but money isn’t linked to your happiness, Mako. If you decided five or even ten years from now that you don’t like what you chose and want to try something else, it would be worth it to take a pay cut and go after what your heart wants. You can always make money, but you only get one life to be happy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He laughed and sat back comfortably in thought. “That is actually really good advice, even coming from money bags like you,” he said with a wink but then frowned again. “I guess I’m just so used to needing to feel secure - needing to take care of Bolin and making sure he has what he needs- that my brain is telling me if I don’t make the right choice first I am a failure.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s pretty natural to feel that way,” Asami said, “but you both are older and stable now. I’m sure if you were open like this to Bolin he would probably flip out that you were even worried about him.” That got him to laugh again thankfully and Asami just smiled. “And if all goes well with him and Opal, I can assure you that he will be fine.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s that mean?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She comes from an incredibly well off family, didn’t you know that?” Didn’t most people know the Beifong’s were incredibly old money? Was Mako just as in the dark about the outside world as Korra?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know, should I?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami tutted and shook her head. “You really are something, you know that? You’re surrounded by some of the biggest and most important names in the world and you’re just so...blase about it. It’s nice.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He shrugged, “everyone is as pink and bloody on the inside as the rest of the world.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She just stared at him for a second before shaking her head with a laugh. “You and Korra are two peas in a pod, sometimes I feel like you’re the same person, just with different bodies.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ha! That’s probably one of the major reasons we didn’t work out as a couple, we were just too alike. It was a terrible balance.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait, you and Korra dated?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looked at her with wide, panicked eyes. “Uhhh-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m just fucking with you, I knew that,” she said and laughed at his relieved face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If I wasn’t a doctor right now I’d call you and asshole,” he said with a light breath. “Spirits save me, Asami, that sucked.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She hummed, completely unbothered - it was fun ruffling his feathers. “So what went wrong with you two, if you don’t mind me asking?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mako laced his fingers together and looked at the ceiling for a bit before replying. “I think it was fun in the beginning, being so alike, but the surgical residency is so competitive and cutthroat that after a while we started to clash too much. We’re both pretty hotheaded, me more so since she really worked hard on hers, but we started to be bitter about each other’s wins instead of celebrating it. It just became pretty toxic and we decided that being friends was the better route in the end, and it was. She’s my best friend in the world, but I just don’t think we would have worked even if we had met in a different setting.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What is she like outside of the hospital?” Asami asked. “We talk and stuff, but I still don’t think I know the whole Korra, somehow. Did you know her before her accident?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know about that?” he asked quickly and she nodded. “Huh, she doesn’t tell anyone that…” he mused, but shook his head out of it. “No, I didn’t know her back then, we met our internship year here. I’ve heard from her parents though that she really is the same person, she just thinks now before she acts and just has better perspectives on things.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Huh,” Asami said, “Korra made it sound like she was some dumb, cocky jock that was just a total meathead or something.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mako threw his head back and laughed. “Don’t let her fool you, she definitely still is that, minus the jock part. She’s at the gym most of her days off or whenever she can squeeze time in, and still plays some pickup hockey games when she can, but her heart is here now. She’s good at helping people, it gives her a sense of purpose. I mean, that’s how she got into medicine anyway.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami tilted her head slightly. “What do you mean?” She had never asked Korra why she had wanted to become a doctor, and had pretty much just assumed that she was following in her mom’s footsteps.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, when she got hit by that car after pushing the kid out of the way, it sort of readjusted her life plan, if you will.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ah, so that’s what happened.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She didn’t tell you that part, did she?” he asked with a pointed look.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nope, just that she was in an accident.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Typical,” he said and pinched the bridge of his nose. “She’ll probably kill me for telling you this but whatever, I’ve been her slave for the last four months anyway…” Asami wanted to know what he meant about that but she would let it slide for the time being. “Korra was fifteen when a drunk driver hopped a center median and was headed straight for this kid on the sidewalk. She pushed him out of the way but couldn’t get herself to safety in enough time, and I think you can imagine what happened next. For some people, all of the surgeries and doctors visits she went through would have completely turned them off to hospitals, but Korra found her purpose in it. I mean, I can’t really speak for her since I don’t know what she was like back then, but getting hit by that car saved her life in a sense. She couldn’t have known what it was like to have compassion for others without knowing about true suffering.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s a little dramatic if you ask me…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Listen here asshole,” he said with a smile and they both burst out laughing. “Alright, it seems a little dramatic when I tell it like that but, well, if you watch her in the OR, you’d know what I mean. There’s a reason she’s Chief Resident - she deserves it. She didn’t get that position by being who she was born to, she worked her ass off for it. She’s an inspiration.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She sounds like an amazing person to be around,” Asami said sincerely. She had her own feelings about Korra, but everyone else has seemed to back up her beliefs that the woman was just </span>
  <em>
    <span>good</span>
  </em>
  <span> down to her very bones.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She really is,” he agreed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And what does she say about you deciding on a specialty?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He smiled that small, knowing smile. “She said if there was an option to have an automatic redo if I’m not happy with it, which would I choose first?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’d do plastics,” he said with a small voice. “People give me shit for it, but there’s more to plastics than just nose and boob jobs, you know?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I agree,” Asami said, “I had a fantastic plastic surgeon help me out some years ago.” Mako looked at her like he wanted to ask but didn’t want to push it, and she just laughed. “No, I didn’t get a nose job. I slid out on my bike and wasn’t wearing leathers, so I needed a skin graft on my hip.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He clapped and pointed at her in excitement. “See! That’s exactly what I want to do, that sounds amazing. I’m sorry you had to go through that, but-” his pager went off and he stood up, “never mind, I guess I do have an emergency surgery now. Sorry, Asami, I have to go.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t worry about it,” she said and waved him off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh and don’t forget,” he said before opening the door, “your wbc keeps dropping so you really need to be careful. Stay home, be safe - Korra will kill me if I didn’t remind you of that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She waved him off again and he was gone. Yeah yeah yeah, stay safe. She had stayed safe the last six months, what else was she supposed to do?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>_____</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Asami already knew that she had fucked up by the time she felt that dragging darkness that weighed her body down. It felt like she wanted to sleep for the next thousand years but for some reason her head was screaming to open her eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was rather annoying, really.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So when she did open her eyes finally, she took one look around the room before closing them promptly and groaning.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hi there.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She always wanted to see Korra, but right about now she was the last person Asami wanted to see, mainly because she knew she fucked up. “Hi Korra.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you have a nice weekend?” Korra asked nicely. Too nicely.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mhmm,” Asami hummed, still feeling incredibly weak.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do anything fun?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Korra-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Like, oh I don’t know, going to your workshop and getting cut on a piece of scrap metal and going septic?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do we have to do this right now?” She deserved the earful, she knew she did, but Asami was absolutely exhausted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you know how scary it is to learn right before I boarded my plane back that you were admitted into the ICU?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami groaned again and turned her head away. “I’m going back to sleep, you can yell at me later. I’m tired.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Will do,” she heard Korra say and the chair scraped against the floor. Asami looked over and Korra was sitting down and getting a laptop out of her bag. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you doing?” she asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Research?” Korra said plainly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami squinted her incredibly dry eyes at her. “That’s not what I meant. Don’t you have patients or surgeries to go do?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Actually, since I passed my boards, I now get to advance into my Neuro training. My next set of rounds, you ask? Neuro-Oncology.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Of course.</span>
  </em>
  <span> “So, here I am, on sepsis watch, because my patient decided to go and get cut open and infected.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was too tired to even argue with Korra’s annoying antics at the moment and just closed her eyes, letting the darkness welcome her back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Waking up later, Korra was still there, typing away on her laptop with bright but tired eyes. In fact, those blue eyes were all Asami could see since Korra was in a gown and a mask, no doubt for sterile purposes since she had landed herself in the ICU. Now that she was more awake and felt a bit more alive, she thought about how dumb she had been and Korra had every right to be upset with her. Asami was upset with herself, really.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s your research on?” Asami asked groggily and Korra’s head snapped up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, I didn’t know you were awake,” she said and stood up quickly. “How are you feeling, do you need anything?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami shook her head and watched as Korra went into doctor mode and checked all her vitals. “I’m fine, just tired and sore.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just rest,” Korra said softly and sat back down but closed her laptop. “I wanted to apologize for how I spoke to you earlier, it was childish and out of line. You’re sick and I berated you, which was wrong of me, and if you want another doctor here I completely understand.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Laughing hurt, apparently, but Asami couldn’t help it. Korra was just so sweet when she apologized. “I appreciate the apology, but I honestly deserved it. It was a stupid move and now I’m in here for...what am I in here for? I don’t remember that part.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You went septic from an infected cut.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ahh, right,” she said, “and that’s bad?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra rubbed her forehead and sighed. “Asami, sepsis is fatal in close to 50% of patients on chemotherapy.” Oh, well, that’s something isn’t it? “You were in a medically induced coma for two days to stabilize your immune system. When we warned you to be careful and gave you rules to follow, they weren’t gray areas to avoid. If you had waited even a few more hours the infection could have gone to your heart and-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well, now she really felt like an asshole. “I didn’t know,” she said stupidly and Korra huffed. “I’m sorry, I’m a terrible patient. I had one job and I couldn’t even do that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, luckily for you,” Korra said with a brighter tone, “you are going to be locked in isolation for a few weeks once the ICU decides you’re not dying, which means you can’t hurt yourself again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Isolation?” Asami squeaked. Isolation was the last place anyone wanted to be.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yep,” Korra said, sounding just like Mako, “we have to monitor you closely because the infection could flare up again. Your body is very weak right now and you will have minimal interactions with people to reduce your exposure to things.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami groaned. “Fantastic. So who gets the pleasure of babysitting me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra thought for a second, “me, Opal, a few night isolation nurses that you haven’t met yet. That’s about it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No Katara?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nah,” Korra said and went back to typing on her laptop, “she’ll just read my reports, but she generally stays down in heme/oncology.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Heme? I thought she was Neuro-Onco?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra looked up for a second before going back to her laptop. “Ahh, no. She’s done everything  really - being ancient and all - so she’s an expert in Neuro, but Hematology is her baby. Katara is on your case as a favor.” She said the last sentence so lightly that Asami barely heard it, but the way Korra avoided her eyes she didn’t need to ask who the favor was for.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And that got her heart racing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Racing so much in fact that her stupid monitor started beeping and Korra was up in a flash.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s wrong?” she asked calmly but with nervous eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing,” Asami said and made herself relax, “I think it was just anxiety or something.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra eyed her for a second before nodding. “Right, okay. Do you want something more? You’re on muscle relaxers right now since you had to be intubated but I can give you something more if you’re feeling anxious.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m fine,” Asami said with a smile, “you can sit back and not be a doctor for a while.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra scoffed and checked all her lines once more before sitting back down. “I’m afraid that’s impossible, my default setting is ‘doctor.’”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think your default setting is dork, but whatever.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Get some sleep, Asami. Rest is the best medicine.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>_____</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Isolation sucked, and Korra wondered how much worse it must be for the patient. At least she was allowed to go do her rounds, and go home, but damn it was boring. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not that Asami was bad company, really. They talked and such when she wasn’t overly tired and Korra spent many hours bouncing off research ideas between them. Their minds together seemed to work incredibly well, even though engineering and neurology didn’t really coincide much, but they had a lot of fun making up wild ideas that given the technology, really could work someday.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Other than that though? Isolation sucked. It did, however, give her plenty of time to do the bulk of the research she had been putting off lately in lieu of her top-notch patient care, so now as she sat there in the stark white room, Korra got to do both at once.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey Korra?” Asami asked in a hushed voice. The poor thing had somehow caught a cold while in here and while she wasn’t on the brink of death, her throat was torn to shreds from coughing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s up?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you believe in reincarnation?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well, that wasn’t what she expected but alright. “I guess so, yeah. Spirits and souls are a big part of Water Tribe culture so there’s definitely a part of me that wants to believe it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I want to believe it too,” she said with a chapped lip smile. Korra needed to remember to get her some damn chapstick for that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What for?” she asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tired green eyes looked over at her and even now, sullen and dry from all her medication and inability to exercise, Asami was still so beautiful to her. It wasn’t even about her appearance anymore, and hadn’t been for quite some time - Korra was a goner for just who Asami was as a whole.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was just thinking that maybe you and I could meet in another life, when things are a bit better for us. Maybe you’ll own a coffee shop or something, and I could just walk in and see you, and that would be it. Or I could have a mechanics shop and your car breaks down in front of my house and I offer to fix it for you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra’s heart started to race, was Asami really bringing this up right now? “You sound like a Young Adult Romance novelist right now, Sams.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even her raspy little laugh was perfect. “Oh shut up, you know what I mean,” she said and closed her eyes for a tired second. “I just think that maybe in another life it will be easier, you know? That’s why I left that morning, Korra. I was scared and so unsure of everything, and I panicked. Things, this-” she gestured to all her cords and wires, “it isn’t easy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not easy </span>
  <em>
    <span>now</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Korra argued with a tight throat, “but I don’t see why not once you’re all better. I tried to tell you that back then, that we could make it work.” She couldn’t believe that after all this time, they might actually be talking about this now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You deserve better, Korra,” Asami said with a slow shake of her head and it made her stomach churn. Did she really think that? “I’m sick now, and even if I do recover completely, then what, you know? I’m so busy all the time, and that’s why no relationship has ever worked out for me. You just deserve someone who can give you all of them. I’m sorry for hurting you, and I just want you to have the best. You’re so good, Korra...so good.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She couldn’t believe what she was hearing...at all. Korra didn’t mean to laugh, she really didn’t, but seriously? “That is what’s been holding you back this whole time?” she asked incredulously and Asami glared at her, but even grumpy green eyes couldn’t stop her. “You think that not having the time for me would stop me, Asami? Seriously?” Asami tried to open her mouth but Korra shook her head. “Listen to me for a second, please?” A pause and then a nod. “Thank you. Now, did you ever think about how much time I spend here at the hospital? I’m a surgical resident, Asami, and I still have a few years to go with Neuro, so I never have time either. Hell when we met I hadn’t had a day proper day off in weeks, but you know what? I think that makes us perfect for each other.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How?” Asami asked softly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Because we both know how important the time we </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span> get together would matter, don’t you see? Others who work normal jobs would feel neglected with how much we work but you and I? We’d make up for it with what time we </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> get together, and we could make it work, I know we could.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Korra-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Give me a chance to prove it to you, Asami…” if she was only going to get one chance at this, she was going to give it her all. “I’m not saying now, but once you’re finally discharged and better, give me the chance to prove to you that I’m willing to make it work, however we can. I like you, and I’m going to be so bold as to say you like me too, but...please. I don’t want to lose this chance.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And what if it doesn’t work?” Asami asked after a few beats.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra smiled. “Then it doesn’t work, but at least we gave it a shot, right? I’d rather try and fail than never try and always wonder.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can I have some time to think about it?” Asami asked and picked at her blanket, “it’s a lot to think about.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra sat back and her stomach dropped again, had she been too forward? She did always seem to rush into things, but Asami was smiling at her now so maybe that was a good sign?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What was the stupidest thing you did as a kid?” Asami asked and it calmed her down immediately.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra laughed, “alright, did I ever tell you how I found Naga?” Asami shook her head. “Alright, so I heard some howling in a blizzard when I was eight and so I went to find it-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>We're getting somewhere......maybe??</p>
<p>Also, shout out to Mako for not always being a grouchy butthead.</p>
<p>Medical fun stuff because I keep forgetting!!</p>
<p>WBC - white blood cell count, they are part of the body's defense system that help protect it against infections and if it's low, it doesn't work as well. Don't get infected if you have compromised immune systems, kids.</p>
<p>Sepsis - don't get it, just don't. Blood poisoning is another word for it. It's very bad.</p>
<p>Plastics is a wonderful specialty that does, in fact, deal with so much more than just nose and boob jobs.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The last chapter! It's been fun, and I always hate to end it, but I hope if you've made it this far that you've enjoyed this little story of mine! Thank you all so much!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>She was so close, so damn close to the end, but Asami could hardly find it in her to feel relieved. She was just so tired from all of it and she really wondered how people who had it worse than her could stay so alive, so positive. She, in a lack of any other words, was over it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t even have it that bad, not really. During her long days in isolation, Asami looked into different cancers and such just to keep her mind busy, and she had it so easy compared to other people. Some cancers took years to cure, if it was even possible, and she was exhausted from these what...eight months? But Korra always told her not to worry about anyone else, that what she felt was valid and she shouldn’t feel bad about her thoughts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sweet, sweet Korra.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ever since that very sleepy conversation in isolation where Asami had pretty much outed herself for liking Korra, the woman had just been...the same. She had been completely the same yet everything about their interactions felt different somehow. Maybe it was because they both knew that there could be something, or maybe Asami was just imagining everything, but Korra was just - amazing. She was always there, she always knew exactly what she needed, she was everything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Asami was worried that she wouldn’t be able to be everything for her. What if she never got back to the way she was before her surgery and treatment? Would Korra still want her then? There was still so much they didn’t know about each other, so much that there was to learn, and yet, there was something in her that felt as though she knew everything she needed already. That from here on out, anything that came next was just another cherry on top of what was already this perfect, delectable sundae. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But...what if it wasn’t?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Katara, how do people do it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do what, my love?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All of it,” she said in a defeated tone. “I know I shouldn’t complain, since others have it worse, but I’m just so worried that when I come out of this that nothing will be the same. What if I won’t ever get my normal body back, or that I won’t be able to keep up with work like I used to? And then I just feel so narcissistic because I’ve had it easy, really. People spend their whole lives fighting sometimes, how do they do it and stay strong?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Katara looked at her for a bit, which she always seemed to do, and at first it annoyed Asami a little bit. The woman was old, that was for sure, but her age was never a hindrance on her mind or ability, and for that she always had her utmost attention. When Katara spoke, Asami listened: her words always held the wisdom she needed so much.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You cannot compare your suffering to that of others, Asami,” she said finally. “Every single person deals with their struggles and pain differently, and you should not diminish your own feelings because someone out there may have it worse than you. You have every right to be afraid or nervous, and you have to work to heal yourself for </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>, not for how others might see you.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You sound like Korra,” Asami said with a laugh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where do you think she learned it?” she scoffed, “I swear I couldn’t walk five feet without her grabbing onto my leg when she was little.” Katara looked off at the door for a moment in thought and a small smile crossed her face. “She was such a bright little thing, and had more energy than any of us knew what to do with, and so I let her trek along with me when she could. Some say that she would have been a sports legend if it hadn’t been for her accident, but I’ve always seen that drive in her eyes, that need to be there to help people. Her words are good to listen to, and she has been through hell and back enough to know what it means when she says to never invalidate your feelings. But you have to remember, doctors can only help your healing process, it’s you who has to decide on whether you get better or not.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Water Tribe women, they really were something. “What does that mean, exactly?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Katara smiled that motherly, warm smile at her, like she held all the secrets to the world behind her lips. “It means that you are not the first person to suffer, nor will you be the last, but only you can understand what has happened to you and overcome the obstacles you have faced. I know you’re tired, but you can either choose to let what happened ruin you, or you can learn from it and find your meaning and your peace.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That wasn’t exactly what she expected, but she could go with it, but how? What meaning was there to know in eight months of poison, sickness, and laziness? There were good things too, of course, but... “And what do you think I’ll find after all of this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both turned at a knock on the door and Korra poked her head in and smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know,” Katara said softly, watching Korra walk in, “but wouldn’t it be interesting to find out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked at Korra and that little smirk she had melted Asami to her bones, and for some reason this time, watching her walk in, it all felt different.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I don’t know, but wouldn’t it be interesting to find out?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Korra took a step closer but everything slowed down as if time was stopping, and Asami could hardly move a muscle. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Wouldn’t it be interesting to find out?</span>
  </em>
  <span> She blinked slowly, and the hospital room around them melted away-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was just the two of them, and they were moving Korra into her house. She looked around and somehow the blues of the Water Tribe decorations just made everything work; it looked like a home for once, their home. It settled something so easily inside her, but then Korra was picking her up and throwing her onto the couch while Naga barked in the backyard. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘We’re never going to finish getting you moved in if you keep distracting me like this,’</span>
  </em>
  <span> she heard herself say automatically.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Isn’t that the fun of it?’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Korra argued and her answer fell flat on warm lips and yeah, kissing was way better than unpacking. Her hands moved of their accord and that dark, warm skin felt like the only home she had ever needed, felt so right and so perfectly fitted to accept the touch of her own hand. Her mind was fuzzy but her whole world felt roped in by blue eyes and a bright smile looking down on her, and everything felt right.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Wouldn’t it be interesting to find out? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Asami blinked again and her house melted away to a place she didn’t recognize, but Korra was there again. They were both in white, her dress had tresses of soft red under lace and tulle, but she couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to the design when Korra was looking at her like that while slipping a ring onto her finger. Words were a fuzzy, jumbled mess in her brain but she heard a shaky </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘I love you’</span>
  </em>
  <span> before warm hands cupped her cheeks and she was being kissed again. Asami laughed into the kiss, those lips that had somehow felt like home since the first moment they brushed on her own, and she knew they were both crying. She didn’t know what the next blink my hold, but she didn’t know if her chest could contain her beating, bursting heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Wouldn’t it be interesting to find out? </span>
  </em>
  <span>But she blinked again no less, and was back at home - their home. Korra was turned away from her at the stove with messy hair, a little boy perched expertly on her hip while she swayed and ladled batter into the pan. His hair was wild and just as messy as Korra’s, and his race car pajamas that he refused to get rid of really were starting to get too tight, but neither of them wanted to fight that battle. His little belly sticking out of the bottom of his shirt was to die for, so they were willing to let it slide. Korra handed him some blueberries and he balled them into his pudgy fist before chucking them full force at the pan, only some of them making it onto the round goop of batter.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘You want to aim for the round part, my love,’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Korra said to him with a laugh, and the way her voice sounded sent vibrations through Asami’s head. It was a bit older, a Korra she didn’t yet know, but she ached to find out. </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘Mommy is going to love these, isn’t she?’</span>
  </em>
  <span> she asked him and leaned down to kiss his messy black hair. Asami couldn’t see his face, but she already knew he was perfect, and if he were to turn and look, she knew he would have bright blue eyes, just like his momma.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her heart felt like it was at full capacity, almost about to break through her ribs, and Korra finally looked up at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Asami?’ </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>But it wasn’t that older voice…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Asami?” she blinked once more and was back in the hospital, the Korra she knew kneeling in front of her. “Hey, Asami, are you okay? Where did you go just then?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had to blink a few more times to know that this was real and furrowed her eyebrows, it was all so nice, those visions. She wanted to see them all again, but then a warm hand was on her wrist checking her pulse and Asami looked into those blue eyes that had been in all of those visions and that’s when she realized - she could.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” Asami said finally. “What are you doing here, it’s your day off.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That it is,” Korra said with a devious smile, “however, there’s something I want to show you. Katara, can I steal her for a bit?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I saw nothing,” Katara said with a wave and unhooked her lines. “Just tell Opal once Ms. Sato here has decided to return from her walk around the ward.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes sir!” Korra said with a salute and Katara just rolled her eyes before shuffling out. “Alright, let’s go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where are you taking me?” Asami asked and went to stand up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s a surprise, but hold on, I brought a chair.” Korra ran out of the room quickly and came back with a wheelchair that was laden with warm medical blankets.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kooorra…” Asami tried but the woman just shook her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just follow my lead.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sat in the chair, and then was wrapped up in a few blankets which actually felt amazing, and then the rest were piled onto her lap before she was being wheeled off into an elevator.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Up?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you ever just let people surprise you?” Korra asked with a huff.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why would I want to do that?” To which Korra stuck her tongue out at her and Asami did so in kind, and then they both laughed like idiots.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, close your eyes,” Korra said as the elevator slowed down and she looked so excited that Asami just had to do as she was told. It was a bit startling when a beanie was put on her head, but by now she pretty much expected that they were going to the roof anyway. A few more blankets were wrapped around her before she heard a door creek open, and then her face was blasted with air far colder than she had been expecting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Holy shit,” she said and heard Korra laugh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, you’re welcome for the blankets. Now give me just...one...sec,” she said with a final grunt and the chair stopped. Hands were on her wrists and she could feel Korra close, it made her heart stutter. “Keep your eyes closed, but stand up...good. Alright, open.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All of Republic City was covered in snow that wasn’t there an hour ago when she had driven in for her appointment, and from up on the rooftop it looked so fresh and magical. It must have been snowing hard earlier, but now it was just big, fluffy flakes dropping lazily through the sky, and Asami felt clean. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow,” she whispered and Korra just hummed in agreement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The way white blanketed the industrial landscape created an unmarked canvas, and the way everything looked so fresh just felt right. They both stood in silence for a bit, just watching the scene wrapped in their own pace, and the entirety of the moment lifted a weight off her shoulders she hadn’t known was there. It was the first time in months that she had felt like her old self, her true self, and it felt so good. She looked over to thank the person responsible for helping her but stopped dead in her thoughts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Korra’s eyes were closed and her head was tilted back towards the sky, an easy smile plastered on her face as flecks of snow melted on her dark, warm skin. It was one of the most breathtaking sights Asami had ever seen, Korra so at home in her natural element, and she knew that no matter what happened between them, that this sight would be forever ingrained in her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And that’s when it hit her, when it really hit her, that she just might in fact be falling in love with her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And it wasn’t nearly as scary as she thought it would be, now that the thought was settling into her head. Thinking back at everything, Asami thought that maybe she had always been falling in love with Korra, just slowly; about as slowly as the falling fluffs of snow around them, and it felt good.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Korra felt good, being around her and with her had always felt right, and maybe Asami just wasn’t ready to believe that until now. Somehow, once again, Korra had known exactly what she had needed to get her feeling like herself again and it was such an easy choice, right then and there, for Asami to decide that - if Korra would have her - she would be willing to spend the rest of their lives giving her whatever she needed too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All of it just made her laugh, and she didn’t really know why, but then Korra was looking at her curiously and it just made Asami laugh harder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay?” Korra asked, “did the snow make you delirious or something?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” she said with a last chuckle after she had calmed down, “I’m fine. Korra, will you go on a date with me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, what?” she asked, and her astonished face was so cute Asami really, really wanted to just kiss her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A date, with me,” Asami continued, “maybe...two weeks from now? When I’m free and clear of these tubes and wires? That is...if your offer was still available-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Korra’s face did wonderful things before finally landing on the biggest, dopiest smile Asami had ever seen grace it. “Are you kidding, fuck yes it’s still available! Oh my Raava, I’m just kind of freaking out right now, I wasn’t expecting this and I just-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re rambling, Korra.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right, yes,” she took a deep breath, “yes, I would love to go on a date with you in about two weeks. What do you have in mind?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Asami smiled and brushed a snowflake off Korra’s shoulder, “it’s a surprise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>_____</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Life, as she learned through the years and her experiences, wasn’t something that anyone could control - as much as they really, really tried to. From the moment she asked her on a date on that snowy rooftop, Asami let go of her need to completely control her life, at least where Korra was involved. For too long she had tried to fight off the fact that she had been falling for the woman, when life could have been a bit easier for her if she just let it happen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So that’s what she did, she just let the days of their lives together happen without trying to be so compulsive about what could or couldn’t be, and so far, it had all gone pretty well. It wasn’t to say that she didn’t have her issues in normal life, Asami still had a major company to run and things still got on her nerves on the daily, but she learned to roll with it and didn’t let it consume her like it used to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was easy when she had the sweetest face she had ever seen waiting for her at home - at their home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unlike her daydreaming vision from that snowy day in the hospital, moving Korra into her house was far less...structured. It happened so slowly that neither of them even realized it, not until one day months after the end of her treatment when Asami came down with the flu and had a raging fever did they realize that one day Korra had come over with Naga and just never left. The time together was just so sweet and easy that they never realized there was a whole world outside that front door, and Asami loved to replay that day - just like all of their other somewhat big moments - when she could. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘You’re sleeping in later than normal,’ Korra huffed from the bathroom, ‘or was last night that exhausting for you?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Asami tried to lift her head to shoot daggers with her eyes but everything felt heavy. ‘I don’t feel good,’ she groaned and Korra was over in a flash.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘What’s wrong?’ She hadn’t seen that doctor's side of her in so long, and it made Asami laugh at the nostalgia.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I think I have a fever, Doc.’ Though her sultry tone didn’t exactly work when she didn’t have the energy to do anything.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘You’re a dork,’ Korra said and touched her forehead with the back of her head with a low whistle. ‘Damn baby, are you from the Fire Nation? Because you are smokin hot.’ She groaned so hard it hurt her throat and stuffed her face into the pillow while Korra laughed her ass off. ‘Okay but no really, you are burning up and definitely shouldn’t go to work. I’m going to call out too, but I’m going to run to my apartment and-’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Asami lifted her head out of the pillow when Korra didn’t finish her sentence to see her looking almost pale. ‘What’s wrong?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I just realized that I haven’t been to my apartment in probably...two months? Has time really gone by that quick? I just...I can’t believe this right now. If you’re sick of me I completely understand, maybe I should sleep there once you’re better and-’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Or you could just move in,’ Asami said as easy as breathing. Why would Korra want to go home? ‘I’m not sick of you, I’m just sick, and I don’t want you to leave. Stay? Officially?’ </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>They stared at each other for a few long seconds before Korra huffed out a watery laugh and nodded. ‘Yeah, yeah I’ll stay,’ and climbed back into bed behind her.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>And that had been it, really. Korra didn’t need that much from her apartment, most of all her necessities had migrated over slowly through the months, but just like in her vision, Water Tribe decoration did do fantastic things for the general aesthetic of the house. Or maybe it was having Korra and Naga there, her girls, that made it a home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A pull to her hair brought Asami out of the deep reverie she had been having. She did that a lot more now, would get lost in thought about Korra, or something that they had done together, and she easily attested it to finally having a part of her life worth remembering again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Laaaast piece,” Opal said, tongue poking out through the corner of her mouth, “and there. You’re perfect!” She took a step back to let Asami look in the mirror for a moment and she had to admit, she did look good. “You’re so beautiful, Asami, I wish I could just squeeze you!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She huffed a little and turned in her chair, “thanks Opal, but let’s not do any squeezing this time. Last time you did that I swear you popped my shoulder out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah you’re probably right,” she mumbled and really, Asami could just squeeze her too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you give me a few minutes, Opal?” she asked. “I think I just need a breather before it’s time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Opal gave her a knowing smile. “Of course, take all the time you need.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She whispered a thank you as her best friend walked out and turned back to the mirror. Asami hadn’t done anything spectacular or special, if anything she had toned down her usual makeup for the occasion and really, she just felt...out of sorts. Not in a bad way, of course, because she had been ready for this moment far longer than she had ever dreamed to be, but there was something missing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked down at the pieces of lace from her mother’s wedding gown that she had repurposed and sewn into her own. For a while, Asami had imagined that perhaps she would just wear her mom’s dress and just have it refitted for her, but times had changed and she knew deep down that she should have her own, but keeping a piece of her mom with her on this day was crucial.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her dad too of course, but he already had earrings made for her wedding day before he even died; the memento was still there though, and she smiled and spun them around in her ears, wishing that they were both here to see her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Asami just smiled and imagined the things they would say to her if they were there, the time for crying had so long passed that she could only be happy knowing that they were happy for her, and she knew that with all of her being. How could they not? Korra was the most wonderful, dedicated, surprisingly patient person that she had ever known and getting to marry her today just made Asami almost sick with happiness. If she were to cry about anything, it would be of the thought of spending every day waking up next to that mess of brown hair and her sweet smile. That was true happiness right there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And not just Korra either, but with her parents as well, who had never for a second treated her as anything but their own daughter, and it was just another reason why she was so, so fucking happy. Asami played with a tendril of hair and remembered Senna brushing through it earlier when she was here helping her get ready before going to Korra. Her relationship with Senna was so special to her, and Tonraq too, and while they weren’t her birth parents, she felt as much love for them as she remembered having for her own mom and dad. Really, she had to stop thinking about it or else she would start crying, and she couldn’t let her mascara run. They all just made her so happy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So she settled on thinking about Korra, her soon to be wife, and she chuckled. She always thought about Korra, so what was the difference? But like she always did now, Asami replayed last night in her head over and over…</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘You ready for tomorrow?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I’ve been ready since the day I met you.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Asami scoffed and looked up at her, ‘you have got to be kidding. You’re such a sap.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘It’s true!’ she argued, ‘it’s even in my vows.’ She sat up a little straighter on the couch and cleared her throat. ‘Our love story all started with a swipe-’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Korra, no-’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘My one, true, Tinderella!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Korra I swear-’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘My dearest, tumored lady-’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I will call off this wedding-’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Asami has beauty and brains, and I have seen both, literally!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘That’s it, I’m going...you can have the house-’ she tried to stand up but Korra tackled her and squeezed her sides in that ridiculous way she learned how all those years ago.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘My tumored lady! Don’t go, I love you too much…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Get off of me you dork, and at least call me un-tumored or something.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Korra stopped and looked down at her with that bone-melting smirk, ‘nah, it takes away from the fun.’ She kissed Asami’s reply clean off her lips and she could confirm that, yes, Korra’s kisses still made her hot from her head to her toes.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Please tell me that’s not how your actual vows are going to go? I mean I know we agreed to write our own and stuff but-’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Korra laughed and helped her back into a sitting position. ‘No, that’s not how they start, don’t worry.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Asami just looked at her, and the house around them that they made a home together, and the idea came naturally to her. ‘What if we said our vows now?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Now?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>She nodded shyly. ‘Just you and me, the rest of the world doesn’t need to know about the promises I make to you because, well, they’re only for you anyway. What do you think?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Korra tilted her head and for a moment Asami thought that she wasn’t going to agree, but then a wide smile split her face. ‘I think it’s perfect!’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Yeah?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Fuck yeah! Just you and me, that’s all I want anyway.’ And, well, the love she felt in that moment almost made Asami forget what they were even doing, and she leaned over and kissed Korra breathless.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Alright, who goes first?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Well, it was your idea,’ Korra said.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Yeah but now I’m nervous.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Korra rolled her eyes but smiled, ‘alright, I can go first. Ready?’ </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>In actuality, she wasn’t quite sure if she was ready, but she had nodded slowly anyway.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Alright then, here we go…’ Korra paused and looked into her eyes, blue starting to swim with happy tears, and Asami could feel her own eyes fill… ‘Asami Sato, there has been something different that I’ve seen in you from the very beginning that I have never felt in anyone else. You simultaneously set my soul on fire but you also give me the water that keeps the flames at bay, my stomach flips everytime I see you and every night I go to sleep next to you and wonder what on earth I did right to have you. These vows are something I want to keep short and sweet, because if anyone knows me they know I can ramble a lot, but there is one thing that I have held onto in my heart these last few years together…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Korra held out her hand for Asami to take and she wiped a stray tear before linking her fingers perfectly into smooth, warm ones. It was home.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘When you were still my patient,’ Korra continued, ‘you asked me if I believed in reincarnation, that maybe in our next life we can meet again and have any easier road than the one we have found ourselves on, and I just have to tell you-’ she stopped and they looked at each other for a moment, and Asami would swear she felt the air shift around them. ‘I believe that our souls were made to find each other, Asami; in this life, in the next, the one after that, and maybe countless before this wonderful one we have found ourselves in this round. I couldn’t care less for an “easier” route to loving you, because any way we find it will always be my favorite. You are my favorite, Asami. I love you so much, and I can’t wait to spend this life with you, and my promise to you is to love you, everyday, strong enough that you’ll feel its ripples through all our next lives together after this one.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Korra ended with a kiss to the top of Asami’s hand and it was only then she realized that she had stopped breathing altogether and let out a choked sob.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Raava, I should have gone first. How do you expect me to top that?’ she said with a laugh and wiped off her face. She knew Korra was sentimental, but fuck.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Well, you top me all the time so that shouldn’t be a problem,’ Korra replied and waggled her eyebrows.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘You’re such an ass!’ but Asami couldn’t stop laughing, and wasn’t that the best part? They could be so raw and heartfelt, but then joke with each other in the next moment, and that’s what she loved. She loved Korra, with every piece of her she had. ‘Okay, I’ll go...ready?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I think so.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>She took a deep breath and nodded, she could do this… ‘Korra, you were the last thing I ever could have expected, but you’ve shown me in our life we’ve spent together so far that sometimes the unexpected is the best thing to have. Before you, my life was rigid and routine, and I hardly let myself look around at the world besides what paper was shoved in front of me next, but you slowed me down and taught me how to live. You know how to make the ordinary extraordinary, and I can’t wait to see what you can make for us in this life together. Our story is an...interesting one, but the fear I felt in the beginning at not being good enough for you has been washed away and replaced with this all-encompassing love that I have not only for you, but everyone that I have met and known to love because of you. You’ve given me a family again, and you never let me go a day without love even when things are hard. I love you, Korra. I love you so much that I just want to scream it off snowy rooftops and rainy mountains and anywhere I can, but I’ll try and keep it relaxed. My promise to you is one that I made the day I decided I was falling in love with you, that I would spend everyday - for however long you would have me - trying to give you all the happiness you give me, even if I think it’s impossible. I am the luckiest woman alive to be able to spend my days with you, and I love you with every piece I have of me.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Spirits we’re such saps,’ Korra said with a watery breath and wiped her own eyes. ‘I don’t think I'd be able to breathe if we did that tomorrow.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Agreed,’ Asami laughed. ‘So how do we do this tomorrow now?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Shit I don’t know, let’s high-five or something,’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The rest of their conversation was cut-off when someone knocked on the door and brought her back into the now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Asami, can I come in?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course,” she replied and turned in her chair, “hi, Tonraq. It’s almost time to go, what are you doing here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” he said and gestured to the room with broad, welcoming arms, “I’m here to walk my daughter down the aisle, of course.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nooo no no,” she whispered and had to tilt her head back to hold in the tears. She couldn’t breathe. “Tonraq, don’t - don’t do this to me right now. What about Korra?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Korra is just fine, Senna has her. Can I sit?” he asked and pointed at the sofa next to her. “I have something for you,” he said and pulled a small box out of his coat pocket. “This is a ceremonial piece worn by generations of Water Tribe royalty. It was one of many heirlooms my mother snuck to me after I was banished - I was her favorite, you know,” he winked. “It’s been passed down through the generations of heirs to the throne, and I want you to have it as a symbol of joining this family.” He opened the box to reveal a blue and white armband, not unlike the one she has seen Korra wear to formal events, but she could tell this one was special. It wasn’t fabric, but made of blue stones and fossilized whale bone, all woven together in a beautiful Water Tribe pattern. It was perfect, but it was-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But Korra, shouldn’t she have this?” Asami asked and looked up at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Korra,” he grunted and pulled the armband from its box, “was raised with royalty. She has had all the trinkets she could ever have wanted, and while you grew up in close to a similar way, Senna and I wanted you to have this because of what it means to us that you’re becoming a part of this family. I understand if you don’t want to wear it today, but-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will,” she cut him off quickly, how could she not? “It’s beautiful, Tonraq, I just don’t feel like I deserve it,” she said softly, “any of it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smiled so sweetly at her and shook his head. “Asami, my dear, you don’t know how much joy you have brought to us, have brought to our daughter, and I would give you the entire Royal Palace if that had been your wish.” He held up the band in question to her to put it on and she nodded. “From the moment you walked in that door when I met you I knew you were different, and the way Korra lit up around you was just...I hadn’t seen her that bright in years. I know Senna and I will never be Yasuko and Hiroshi, but we love you as our own, and hope that it can be enough for you. We are so thankful for you and everything you have done for our girl, and this” he patted the perfectly fitted armband, “is only a small token of our endless gratitude. There isn’t anything on this earth to show you how much we love you, but we have a lifetime to try.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you too,” she said with a watery laugh and threw herself into his waiting arms. They were strong, and firm, and home - just like Korra’s. “Damnit, you really made me cry too,” she huffed and he squeezed her tight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Trust me, I’ve been trying to keep it together all morning,” he replied. “Now, you ready to go?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She squeezed him one last time before letting go, looked down at her new armband, and she smiled. “Absolutely.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her cheeks felt like they were going to explode by how wide she was smiling as they left the room, arms linked together, and walked towards the aisle that Korra and Senna were headed to from the other direction. Each sweet step was catalogued in her un-tumored head, ready for her to replay it over and over again years from now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Air Temple Island was so gorgeous in the spring afternoon light, and Korra looking over at her as they walked towards Bolin at the altar had her heart squeezing in all the right ways. Her wife! She couldn’t even be bothered to look at the small crowd of guests they invited because her head was starting to swim with the love for her little family and all of the family and friends they had made together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Senna and Tonraq kissed them both on the cheek before taking a seat and Korra leaned in close. “Hey baby, are you an Air Nomad? Because you’re taking my breath away.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And, well, they nearly tripped over each other by laughing so hard and kissed before Bolin could even start.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Life with Korra had never been conventional, so why start now? They eventually did say their </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘I Do’s,’</span>
  </em>
  <span> and Opal cried harder than any of them, but that might have just been the pregnancy hormones talking.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Later that night, as she and Korra swayed slowly together and let the world fall away for a bit, Asami asked her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you put your dad up to that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Up to what?” she whispered back serenely. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To walking me down the aisle, since I didn’t have anyone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Korra laughed a little and kissed right under her jawline, still swaying. “No, that was all him. He really loves you, you know, and so does mom. We all do, Asami, you’re family now. You were family even before we made it legally official. What’s mine is yours, and that includes my parents.” She pulled her head back and rested her forehead on Asami’s. “I love you, you dork. If you need to do this again and walk with mom, or me, or even Naga down the aisle, I’d do it for you, because either way it’s going to be you and me at that altar, and that’s what I’m here for.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Spirits, she really knew how to take a girl’s breath away, didn’t she? “Alright, I believe you,” Asami said and dropped a quick kiss on her lips. “You ready to ditch this place and start our honeymoon?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yesss I’ve been waiting for that! Can we just grab the mic and say one big goodbye to whoever is left?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah I don’t see why not,” Asami said with a shrug, “it’s our party. But hey,” she said quickly before Korra could run off. “I love you, so much.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And damn, that smile. “I love you too.”</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Just waiting patiently for Tonraq and Senna to adopt me....</p><p>Thank you all again for being here and I hope you enjoyed it!!</p><p>(Also a big shout out to Asami; baby I'm sorry I always seem to have it out for you but I love you I promise.)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Back by popular demand for some sticky sweetness...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It wasn’t very often that Asami woke up to an empty and cold bed anymore, Korra still wasn’t too keen on getting up before the sun rose, but sometimes her wife would surprise her by getting up first. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Or sometimes Korra wouldn’t even have come home at all, what with having to be on-call some days or would get stuck in a surgery, but over the years she had thankfully worked less than when she had been a resident. Asami too had toned down her workaholic tendencies - for starters she realized how much life she had been missing out on by giving all of herself to the company, but once she and Korra had officially gotten together there had been far more delegation going on down the ranks of Future Industries, which worked to everyone's advantage. It wasn’t the easiest thing in the world, learning to work a relationship into their schedules, but as Asami stretched and felt that little tinge of soreness from their night before, she smiled to herself thinking about how well it’s all worked out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She rolled out of bed and slipped on a nightgown, thinking of how they finally had gotten a date night to themselves, and followed the smell of fresh coffee to where she knew her whole heart was. Asami stopped at the end of the hall and just watched as Korra helped their son up onto his stool so he could attempt to mix up the ingredients in front of him, which she knew would end up in a bit of a mess, but they tried to make learning fun for him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sight would never get old for her, seeing Korra with their boy, and even though some days were tough with being a parent, the love that she felt for both of them damn near made her sick most of the time. It was terrifying, truly, but also the most incredible and rewarding thing that either of them had done. When she and Korra decided to have a baby it was the most profound sense of happiness and dread she felt at one time, seeing those little lines on a stick, and the hurricane of thoughts that berated her head on the daily made her dizzy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Would she be a good mom? Would their marriage be put on hold to take care of that little life? What if something happened? What if something happened to Korra? What if what if <em>what if…</em></span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But the second he came out, all pissed off and screaming, Asami let out a breath she hadn’t known that she was holding at all. Korra was okay, they had a son, and he was absolutely perfect.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The days were long in the beginning with the endless feedings and diaper changes, but they got through it somehow. It was undoubtedly terrifying, not knowing if what they were doing was correct, but intuition finally took over eventually and they got into a rhythm of things. She and Korra would just sit there when he was a baby and watch him sleep, making sure that his little chest rose and fell with each breath, and they would laugh about how their careers had built them for such little sleep that parenting was a piece of cake.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t cake, at all, but the two of them always found humor in tiring situations.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And boy was he tiring most days, the little rascal. Though they didn’t know too much about their donor’s personality, Koa had seemed to only get his black hair, and the rest was entirely Korra. He was salty sweet with the most incredible blue-eyed pout that made Asami weak at her knees, and it was such a struggle for her to not give into his every wish - she would do it for Korra, so why not him? That was the part where parenting kind of sucked, because if they spoiled him rotten like they wanted to then he would never learn, but also, why can’t he have chocolate ice cream for dinner? It sounded really good, if she was being honest. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra would groan as they fell into bed at the end of the day after hours of him keeping them on their toes, and Senna loved to remind her how much payback was a bitch. How on earth did something so small and sweet have so much energy? And how the hell could they look away for three seconds, only to turn back and find him on top of the refrigerator? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Thinking about that reminded Asami that she needed to look around for gymnastics classes for him, because that little ball of pure muscle ran them ragged, and he really needed an outlet for his energy. Sending him off to Opal and Bolin’s last night so she and Korra could celebrate their anniversary had been such a nice relief, and while they missed their boy dearly, they needed the break. They needed to feel as though they didn’t have to rush anything while he napped in the room down the hall.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sex hadn’t changed all that much for them, Korra’s kiss still make her shiver and a single look could have her in a puddle, they just had things to work around now...or a thing. Koa, thankfully, was a champion sleeper and besides learning to lock the door before ripping off each other’s clothes, they didn’t have too many disruptions besides the normal parenting woes. Teething, being sick, being a general asshole with toddler tantrums somedays; it was all a part of life that they learned to work around, and they did it well because they did it together.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was just knowing that their little ball of crazy was being entertained by Bopal and their million kids let them have such a slow, sweet, sweaty night of fun for the first time in a few months. Both families went back and forth on babysitting each other’s offspring, and the days that Korra and Asami watched the Beifong horde had them really questioning whether they wanted to go for a second kid or not. Koa was already a lot of work, and though they would love to give him a sibling, cousins were fine, right? They both were only children and turned out fine, and all of their friends had kids now so there were plenty of “cousins” to go around...right?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And really, looking at him right then and there, his little belly sticking out of those race car jammies that he fought like hell to keep, Asami didn’t even know if she had enough room in her heart for another baby. How could she love another when he was right there? When Korra was right there, scooping him up onto her hip and dancing a bit before pouring that batter onto the pan? One was enough...for now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It had been so long ago that she had those visions in the hospital, and some mornings she would come out and see almost this exact replica of a scene, but it made her heart stutter every time. Korra’s low voice humming and talking to him about how things cook, when to flip for the perfect brownness on the pancake, about what they might do that day - it made her fall in love over and over again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Slowly, my love,” Korra said to him with a laugh as Koa released a handful of blueberries over the batter. “If you drop them one-by-one then they disperse more and you can have a blueberry in each bite.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No,” he said and chucked the whole handful into the pan and Asami had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing. Chaos was how he learned, and sometimes it was frustrating that he had a penchant for not listening, but it was fun. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know you’re laughing back there,” Korra said and tried to move the glob of berries around to no avail. “Want to come teach your son how to make pancakes?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Koa turned his messy-haired head towards Asami and smiled, and her chest nearly exploded. “Mommy!” he yelled and wriggled out of Korra’s arms to run to her. Honestly, how could they have another if he was already this perfect? Blue eyes so full of life and mischief, just like his momma.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Koa!” she replied and swept him into the air before drowning him in kisses. “How are my favorite people this morning?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tired,” Korra said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pancakes,” Koa pointed with a delicious little hand. He wasn’t that great with words yet, but they made do and had pretty much learned to speak Koa by now, which they deemed a super power. He’d get there eventually.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami wrapped her arm around Korra’s waist and kissed her forehead. “Why didn’t you wake me up?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You just looked so peaceful,” she replied and wrapped them all in a hug. “I figured you might just be a little extra tired from last night.” Her eyebrow waggle was still ridiculous, and Asami just laughed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I am, and I thank you for your </span>
  <em>
    <span>service,</span>
  </em>
  <span> but I’m also hungry. I believe I was promised pancakes?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Berry!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, with blueberries, my love,” she cooed. “With seemingly every blueberry in the house. Honestly Korra, we might just have to buy a berry farm with how many damn blueberries this kid eats.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra smiled proudly and kissed them both before turning back to the stove. “That’s my boy! They’re high in phytonutrients and have anti-inflammatory properties.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You can just say they’re healthy, Doc,” Asami said and smacked her ass before getting the table set. “What should we do today?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cars!” Koa squealed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Korra scoffed. “You know, I think we might need to have another kid just so I can get one who wants to be a doctor. You get all the fun with him wanting to be in cars all day.” Her pout was so cute, and the little bit of jealousy was fun too.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s your reason for wanting another kid?” Asami asked and put Koa down in his chair, “so you can have a little shadow at work?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Among plenty of other things,” she argued. “For one, he’s very cute…” they both looked at their son and watched him wipe hair out of his face with determination, and they melted. “Two, he has a lot of fun with Bopal’s kids, so I think he’d like a sibling.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We could just have more playdates…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We could,” Korra said with a nod, “but just imagine how cute they'd look in a lab coat.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Asami was about to go on but they heard a little giggle and turned to see Koa pouring a disastrous amount of syrup over his pancakes. Where the fuck did he even get the bottle of syrup from?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You sure you want another?” she asked as they both just watched in horror.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uhhh, maybe we’ll discuss that later,” Korra said quickly before running over and stopping him. “Okayyyy - that was great technique, Ko, but let’s try and save some for another day.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Life didn’t turn out at all like Asami expected it would, but as she watched her wife wipe off the sticky little fingers of their son, there wasn’t any way in hell she could ever want to change a thing. Okay, well maybe being a complete idiot all those years ago with Korra, but if everything she had ever done in life led her to this moment? Yeah, she wouldn’t change a thing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Okay now we're done!! I guess I couldn't leave out that last little vision of life for them, and I apologize. Thank you for reading, I love you all and hope you're safe and healthy!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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